


Vodka and Clover

by AdorkableAuthor



Category: Veronica Mars (TV), Veronica Mars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2016-09-01
Packaged: 2018-08-11 14:58:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 50,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7897138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdorkableAuthor/pseuds/AdorkableAuthor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Something changed on the roof of the Neptune Grand Hotel after graduation. Ten years have passed, can Veronica's friends accept that she's a trained assassin now? What will they think and who will tell Papa Mars? Back in Neptune for the reunion, Veronica even picks up a case. Who done it? Why? What classmates will she run into? Find out the answers to all these questions now!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own these characters, the city of Neptune, Balboa County or anything else in the universe of Veronica Mars. 
> 
> This is my first ever fan fiction piece. I self-edited and am sure I have some minor errors that make it to this website. I am welcome to getting corrections. Please leave feedback and let me know how I'm doing, what you like or don't like. I'm curious if you think I got the characters down and if you enjoyed the overall flow of the story. Thanks for reading!

Prologue- June 2006

It all changed that day. Veronica Mars was on the roof of the Neptune Grand Hotel, gun in hand, pointing it at the seventeen year old rapist and murderer. Logan Echolls, her ex-boyfriend, backed away from Cassidy Casablancas, the villain, while trying to talk to Veronica. 

“Give me the gun, Veronica. You aren't a killer!” Logan was moving away from Cassidy. He had gotten a text from Veronica to meet her on the roof. When he got up there, he was shocked to see his best friend's little brother standing over his ex-girlfriend. He distracted him, pulling gunfire and giving Veronica a chance to push Cassidy. He had dropped the gun and he and Logan fought. Veronica had picked up the gun and aimed it at Cassidy.

“Move away from him, Logan. He killed my father! He raped me!” Tears rolled down her cheeks as her hands trembled, holding the gun. 

Cassidy was silent. He had lost his upper hand and knew it was all downhill for him. He had been bullied and ridiculed his whole life. He had been sexually abused by Mayor Goodman and when he had a chance to feel some power, he took advantage of a young and innocent Veronica. He admitted it all to her, played with her emotions before blowing up the plane carrying her father and the mayor before her eyes. Now, as Veronica pointed his gun at him, he accepted his fate. She deserved to shoot him, kill him.

“Veronica, please, hand me the gun.” Logan panted nervously as he closed the distance between him and his ex. He understood why but didn't want to her live with the consequences of this action. She let him get close and grab the gun from her, taking her small frame into his arms and holding her as she trembled and sobbed. She pushed her face against his chest and he could feel her tears soaking his shirt. 

“You can send me the wedding invitation as a thank you, Logan.” Cassidy was smirking as he mocked them. Logan looked up and held the gun up at Cassidy. He wanted to pull the trigger, but he would wait for authorities. He felt Veronica push his chest,causing him to stumble backwards. She turned on the ball of her foot and ran towards Cassidy. Logan's eyes widened as he watched, still reacting to the push. Veronica rushed at Cassidy, arms out in front of her, screaming wildly. She made contact and Logan's heart stopped. Cassidy grabbed at her, tearing her shirt, but never getting a good grip. Cassidy stumbled back and fell off the roof of the hotel, landing on a car below. Veronica stood there, panting, watching the car's lights flicker as the alarmed sounded. 

Logan stood there, the gun heavy in his hand as he watched his ex-girlfriend murder his best friend's little brother. He dropped the gun and Veronica turned around.

“Guess I am after all.” Her voice was soft and she sounded so defeated. She walked to her purse and picked it up, shoving things back into it. She walked to the door and blinked as she ran into someone. She stopped and looked up at the tall, slender black man before her. “Mr. Wiedman. What are you doing here?” 

“Veronica. I... I think we should discuss what just happened.” He looked down at her with calm eyes. Sure, he had bugged her bedroom before, listening in to her conversations with a device in a ceramic panda bear. But then they found the body of Amelia Delongpre together and seemed to have decided to live in civil respect towards each other. “Come with me.”

Logan blinked. He recognized Clarence from the Jake Kane's offices and sometimes residence. Clarence was the head of security for Kane Software. Logan grew up with Jake's son, Duncan, and dated Jake's daughter, Lilly. He seemed to know Veronica pretty well, but Logan couldn't figure out why. Logan slowly walked up to the two. Clarence Wiedman nodded to him. “Mr. Echolls. I will need to speak to you as well, but Ms. Mars and I need some privacy. I will find you.” And with that, he opened the door to the stairs leading down and gestured. Logan was in shock and since Veronica seemed calm, he nodded and walked pasted him. He stopped and looked at Veronica but she was looking down at her hands. He nodded a bit, mostly to himself and turned to walk down the stairs.

As Clarence went to close the door, Veronica looked up. “Logan! Could you check on Mac? Get into her room and make sure she's ok?” Cindy Mackenzie was one of Veronica's best friend and Cassidy's girlfriend. Cassidy had gotten a room for himself and Mac to finally make love. Veronica hadn't seen her friend since they graduated earlier that day.

Logan looked back at her, eyes big and sad and nodded. “Yea. I'll do that. I'll see you in a bit, ok?” She nodded and he continued down the stairs.

Clarence lead her to an air conditioning unit and sat her down on it. “Miss Mars, as you know, murder is a crime. There's a huge difference between shooting a teenager who is aggressively attacking you and pushing him off the roof as your boyfriend holds him at gun point.”

Veronica looked up and raised a brow at the tall man. “I...” she started, but he had a point. She did murder Cassidy. She closed her lips and looked at her hands again.

“I'm here to help, Veronica. I want to make sure you and Logan get through this unscathed.”

Veronica looked up at him, fire in her eyes. “I think it's a little late for that, Clarence! I think rape and exploding buses damaged us.” She was, of course, referring to the bomb on the school bus that murdered half a dozen people. She glared at Clarence for a moment, then thoughts of the exploding plane carrying Mayor Woody Goodman, pedophile, and Keith Mars, father, ran through her mind. She hunched over, defeated again.

“Veronica, I have a plan. I can easily erase this from your record. But, I know you won't be the same. I want to offer my assistance with getting you through this time, the remorse of what happened here.” He put his hand on her shoulder and nodded with a soft smile. 

She was overwhelmed and nodded, agreeing to his help. She walked downstairs with him, found Mac and Logan in Cassidy's room and watched as Logan and Clarence talked. She hugged a naked Mac and consoled her. Cassidy had stolen everything from Mac, except her virginity. She was left with only the shower curtain to cover herself up. She was confused and hurt.

 

Veronica talked with Sheriff Lamb, who shockingly felt bad for her. She told him that Cassidy had jumped once she got the gun. She and Logan told the same story, the truth up until Logan got the gun from her. She was only at the station for an hour or so before Deputy Sacks drove her home. Sacks offered her condolences and his services for anything she might need. He left, wiping a tear. 

Logan stayed in his car, watching the deputy leave and knowing Veronica was up there, alone, when she shouldn't be. He got out of his car and walked up to her door, but stopped short of knocking when he heard voices. He leaned in and listened.

“I think Lamb believed us. Logan doesn't want me to go to jail, and now he's in this. I doubt he'll change his story now.”

“Veronica, I know it was hard to lie to him, to make Logan lie for you, but it's either that or prison and you're too good of a detective to be incarcerated.” The male paused for a moment and Logan could see him walk to Veronica and hug her. “I am here for you, Veronica. I think you have so much potential and the real crime would be having you waste away in a cell.” He checked his watched and his shoulders slouched a bit. “Veronica, I have to go, I have some calls to make regarding another case, but I left my card on the counter. Call me if you need anything. I'll check in on you tomorrow.” Another hug and he moved towards the door.

Clarence saw Logan as he opened the door and moved towards the hallway. He smiled at the teenager and left the door open. “I'm sure she could use consoling, Mr. Echolls. Take care.” Clarence turned and slipped past Logan. Logan watched him for a moment as he left the apartment complex then turned and walked into the Mars apartment. He looked around and didn't see Veronica.

“Veronica? It's me, Logan. I thought you could use a friend.” He moved towards her bedroom and softly spoke. “I know it's hard right now, but it'll get easier. I know. Um.” He stopped when he reached her bedroom. She was topless in just her panties, blinking up at him as she put on a tank top. “I'm sorry.” He turned and gave her privacy, his heart racing a bit. “I didn't realized you and Kane security were so close.”

“We worked together on a case once. Or against each other.” She sighed and shook her head. “It's complicated.” She put on some pajama pants and crawled into bed. “Look, I just want to go to bed and cry for a few years. I know I disappointed you, but my dad...” She trailed off. He knew the rest of the sentence anyway. He went to the bed and sat next to her.

“Of course, I just.. I didn't want you to be alone. I'm gonna go sleep on the couch I'll leave the door open and you just call for me if you need me, alright?” He waited for her to nod, tears rolling down her face, his heart breaking into a million pieces all over again. He leaned in and hugged her. He kissed the top of her head and stood up. He waited for her to scoot down on the bed and he pulled the covers over her. She curled up, hugging a stuffed animal and closed her eyes, tears still coming. He backed out of the room, wiping his own tears away and laid on the couch. 

The next morning was a mix of emotions as Veronica woke to the smell of bacon, rushing out thinking her dad was making breakfast and finding it was only Logan. But then her dad came out of his bedroom and told her that he drove back instead of flying with Woody. Logan watched as Veronica hugged her father who had no idea what had happened the night before. She looked like she did yesterday, but he knew she was changed. Logan sneaked out to give their reunion some privacy.

 

Veronica and Keith went to New York for a week, as planned, and had a wonderful time. She came back to some weird voicemails from Logan and decided to check it out. She went to the Neptune Grand Hotel and had to stop and take a moment to remember what happened a couple weeks ago on the roof. She rode the elevator up to the penthouse and knocked on the door. A disheveled Logan answered. “Hey.”

“Yea, hi McScruff. Have you seen Logan?” She gently pushed past him and looked around the room. It was messy and smelled of old pizza and stale beer. “Whoa, Logan. Doesn't the room come with housekeeping?” She turned and looked up at him. He stood there, sad eyes looking down at her.

“I've been thinking a lot about us, Veronica. I really wanted to talk to you, but you wouldn't return my calls and I couldn't find you. Pizza boxes didn't seem to matter.” He offered a smile. “I'm glad you are ok though.”

“My dad and I went to New York, Logan. You knew we had that trip.” She walked back to him and looked up at him, concerned. “What's up? Why did you want to talk to me?” She grabbed his hands and wrapped her fingers around his. Her voice softened. “Is everything alright?” 

A deep breath later, he replied. “I got news about my dad. He was killed here, the same night as Cassidy. Someone went into his room and shot him in the back of the head. Kendall found him.” He could see Veronica wince a bit when he said “Cassidy” and “Kendall”. Kendall Casablancas is the step-mother to Dick and Cassidy Casablancas. She's a gold digger who shows no shame in being a trophy wife. Kendall and Logan had some relations the last time Logan and Veronica broke up.

“Logan! Oh my god! I'm sorry. I mean, are we sorry he's dead? I'm not judging, just curious. Not sure how to react.” 

Logan nodded. “He was my father. I am who I am because of him.” He huffed and let go of her hands. He walked to the couch and flopped down. “I went to his funeral. Trina sends her love, through her tears, of course.” He rolled his eyes and started to play with a button on his shirt. 

Veronica walked over and sat on the coffee table in front of him. “Oh, Logan! I'm sorry. I left my phone at home. I wasn't avoiding you or anything. I just... I was dealing with stuff too.” She cupped his knees. 

Logan looked down at her hands and then up to her face and shook his head. “I don't get it, Veronica. I don't get how you can be your normal self when some real shit has happened and... “ he trailed off. Veronica looked up at him, confused for a second, then caught on. 

“Well, I did what I had to do. I'm always going to do what I have to do, Logan. I have to move on and be normal because that's what expected of me. I got my dad back!” She sighed and let her hands drop. “I already knew Cassidy raped me. Woody had been treated for chlamydia. I figured out that Cassidy was one of the boys he assaulted. I can do simple math, Logan.”

Logan watched her and shook his head. “I can't even begin to understand you right now. I love you so much, Veronica, but I watched you murder someone, and covered for you. I don't even mind you doing it, the asshole deserved it. But, I can't understand how you can be you right now. I feel like you don't even know how bad it is.” He stood up and walked around, eyes tearing up. “I can't even look at you without seeing what you did. I thought we.. I thought we were epic. I think I was wrong. I.. I'll see you at Hearst in the fall.” He turned and walked into the bedroom and closed the door. 

Veronica sat there, blinking at the door. She didn't move for a few seconds. She smacked her lips and nodded. “Ok then.” She stood up and walked out of the hotel room, letting the door gently close behind her.

 

Chapter One- May 2016

Cindy Mackenzie looked at her monitor and sighed. She opened the email and read through it and sighed. Her phone beeped and she looked down at it. Wallace has sent her a text message. “PIRATE PRIDE, BABY!” Mac sighed again. Ten years had passed since high school and they wanted to reunite and get drunk at some big party. People she hated and hated her sent her an email inviting them to a party, something they wouldn't have done ten years ago. She cleared the text message from her phone and dialed a number. It went to voicemail. “Hey, reunion is coming up and I could use some backup. Wallace is way too excited and he can't hide it.” She paused. “I'm sure your dad would love to see you too. You can stay here. Don't make me beg.” She tapped 'end' and sighed. 

“Miss Mackenzie? A Logan Echolls is here to see you.” Her intercom rattled. 

“Of course! I think of her, he thinks of her. He comes to haunt me.” She muttered and tapped the intercom and told her assistant to send him in. 

“Mac! I love what you are doing with your hair. I miss the color streaks though.” He winked and walked in. He was in a fancy designer suit and looked good. She couldn't deny he was attractive, but she never looked at him more than her best friend's ex.

“Hot shot Logan Echolls! Here to see me! I'm flattered!” She rose and straightened her pencil skirt and fluffing her faux-hawk hairstyle. She strutted around her desk to give him a hug. It was a friendly embrace. “Can I get you some coffee or water? What brings you to my tower of solitude?”

“Veronica.” 

That stopped Mac. She took a deep breath and slouched her shoulders a bit. “I haven't talked to her in months, Logan. I don't know where she is. I'm sorry.”

“I know. I'm sure you do what you can to keep in touch, I just...” He came in and sat on her leather couch and looked around her fancy office. It was all leather and wood. Mac was a Chief Executive Officer of a top software developer. “I just had to ask if you had spoken to her.”

Mac sighed and sat next to him and put her hand on his. “We all miss her, Logan. I'm guessing you got the email about the reunion and it made you think of her. I get it.” She wasn't going to tell him that she just tried to call her, though. “Are you ready to show your pirate pride next weekend?” When he tilted his head and looked up at him, she was smiling wide and wiggled her brows. He couldn't help but chuckle.

“Yea, I'll be there. Dick can't wait to see who remembers him and his sexual skills. I'm going to keep him from being, well, Dick.” He chuckled. “We should get together and have drinks. I think Wallace would love a night out, if he's allowed by the Mrs. We should get the old gang back together.”

Mac looked at him and shook her head. He had managed to look for her for years, but never gave up on her. He wanted things to go back like they were in high school, before things changed. Before they all grew up. At least, Logan had moved on and dated other people. He got serious a couple times, but never married. He was probably the most eligible bachelor in all of Neptune. “I can ask Wallace and even put in a good word to his wife. I won't be buying my own drinks if Dick shows up though. I can't afford that much.” She winked and slapped his leg. “Lets say Saturday? Somewhere other than the Grand though. I don't think I could manage back-to-back weekends at that place. I can't believe they are holding the reunion there after what happened. The gymnasium would have been a better choice.” 

Logan nodded and stood up. “Saturday sounds great. I'll cover your drinks, Miss Cindy, if you bring Wallace as a buffer. Maybe Eli could make it too. Do we know where he ended up?” He paused and bit his lip. “Please don't say prison.”

“I think he is still local. I heard he opened a garage and deals with high end automobiles. I do believe he went legit.” She smirked. She rose and walked him to the door.

“How boring! I'll see if he's in the book and call him.” He stopped and looked down at Mac. “if you hear from her... I just want to know she's ok.” 

Mac nodded. “Ok. See ya Saturday.”

Logan bent down and kissed Mac on the cheek. “Later Mackie.” He walked out of the office to the elevators. 

Mac turned and walked back to her desk. She sighed and slouched in her chair. Her phone beeped and she looked. It hadn't even rung, but she had a new voicemail. She listened and smiled.

“Hey, yea, I heard about it. I'm planning to go, but work might make that impossible. I already called Dad and told him I should be home soon and I could feel his face light up over the phone. I miss you guys. I'll see you soon. Take care.” 

She didn't leave her name and Mac was sure the number was a disposable phone, soon to be disposed. It was Veronica and hearing her voice brought a smile to Mac's face. 

 

Saturday night was only a couple days after, but it seemed like it rushed up on Mac. She had picked up Wallace from his wife's clutches and promised to make sure he behaved. Wallace smiled and slid into her Porsche, caressing the fine Italian leather. “Ooooo... this is nice, Mac, like, I want-one-for-Christmas nice.” He grinned and she couldn't help but laugh. They drove to this little jazzy bar and valet parked her car. They walked in and saw Logan and Dick already at a table. Wallace looked to Mac and shook his head. “I feel like we don't know each other after all.” 

Mac grinned wide. “Pirate Pride, Baby!”. 

Logan got up and shook Wallace's hand and hugged Mac. They sat down and ordered some drinks. The foursome caught up on their lives. Wives, ex-wives, children, jobs. After about 45 minutes, Dick looked to Mac. “You got hot, Ghost World. Bravo.”

“Uh, thanks Dick.” Mac nervously stirred her drink. Logan sighed and everyone got quiet for a minute.

“So, hear from Roni lately?” Dick finished his beer and blinked as everyone else stopped moving. “Whoa, did time stop? That would be cool.”

“Mac?” It was Logan. 

“She's fine. She checked in with her dad earlier this week.” Wallace spoke up as he waved the waitress back over. 

Mac looked over to Logan and tilted her head. He just stared at her. 

Dick again spoke. “Can't believe she blew off Hearst. Could you imagine taking classes with her? I mean, I know we all did, but not at a college level, with no dress code.” He moaned a bit and closed his eyes. Wallace punched him in the shoulder and Dick smirked at him. “I gotta piss.” Dick stood up and walked to the restroom. 

“So, she doesn't want me to know about her?” Logan lowered his head and played with the little straw in his drink. 

Mac tried to think of what to say, but it was Wallace who spoke up. “She's probably just used to the ways things are now. I'm sure she's over that fight or whatever.”

“I wasn't going to say anything, but-” Mac started then looked to her phone. It had vibrated and she could tell there was a new text message. A simple word. 'Don't.' She sighed and closed her phone, then looked back to the waiting Logan, who had his big brown eyes out and working overtime on her. She grinned. “But, I have to go to the bathroom too!” She stood up, trying her best to ignore Logan's deflation. 

Mac walked to the restroom and went inside. “Wow. As I live and breathe!” She blinked as she saw the cute blonde pixie standing in front of her. She hugged her and looked her over. Veronica looked mostly the same. She was a little more slender in the face, her breasts were a little bigger too. It could be the bra she wore pushing them up.

“Mac, it's good to see you too. Um, thanks for that. I was hoping he would move on but he is a determined surfer, isn't he?” She smiled and offered a stall. 

Mac shook her head. “Just my cover. So, here for long? or.... How long will you be avoiding Logan?”

Veronica sighed and nodded. “I know, I know. But he doesn't need to know. I'll probably have to see him at the reunion, if I can make it.”

“You are here but you don't think you can make it to the reunion?” Mac was confused. 

“Mac, work is complicated like that.” None of her friends knew what Veronica did for a living. They knew she traveled a lot and worked hard. She sometimes surprised them when they went on vacation. She would be staying at the same resort or going to the same attraction. They figured the others told her about it, but Veronica had been keeping close tabs on the people in Neptune for a long time now. “You should get back out there. Don't drink and drive. See you at home, roomie!” Veronica winked and waited for Mac to leave. 

Logan watched Mac return to the table, a little confused and stood up to pull out her chair. “You ok?” 

She sat and smiled up at him. “Yup. Ready for more drinks though. I swore I heard Dick singing to the urinal.”

 

Veronica easily got into Mac's place without a key. She was impressed with the high security, but with a gadget or two, she was in. She showered and wrapped herself in a towel. Her hair was pulled back into a wet sloppy bun and she sat down on the guest bed and looked at the folder in front of her. It would be her next assignment. She went to grab it when she heard footsteps. She stood up slowly and turned out the light. She went out the door and listened. 

“You are dead.”

Veronica smirked and relaxed a bit. She turned and walked back into the bedroom and turned the light back on. “I heard you walking away. I think that's what's important here.”

“How's home sweet home?” He walked into the room and leaned against the wall, looking as she sat back on the bed and flipped open the folder.

“Peachy. Seen my family, friends, ex or two. I don't get Logan. I think I might have to tell him if he keeps pushing. Only way I see him stopping is if I push back.” She lifted the cover sheet and blinked at the picture below. It was Molly Fitzpatrick. She slouched back against the pillows.

“I thought you might know her. I worked it out this way so you could still attend the festivities. I expect it done, Veronica.”

“Does it say why?” She sat up and flipped through the folder, but she didn't see anything but schedule, associates, and a credit report. 

“You don't normally ask 'why'. You shouldn't start now. I'll see you in New York in 10 days. Payment upon conclusion. Goodbye, Veronica.” He turned and walked out the bedroom.

“Bye, Clarence.” 

 

Dick came out of the bathroom in his usual high spirits and pumped into a rather short Latino man. He apologized but then stared at him a minute. “I know you....”

“Yea.. Pirate Pride.” The short Latino man was shaved bald and had many tattoos exposed, even though he wore a long sleeve dress shirt. He was an attractive man with unusually long eyelashes.

“Eli! Over here!” Mac pulled another chair over and placed it between her and Logan. She tapped the seat. “You have some catching up to do. I am pretty sure Dick is three sheets to the wind.”

“Pfft!!” Dick spit as he walked back to the table. “More like building my tolerance back up. Gonna be a long week of partying and ladies. Tonight is my practice run.”

Eli sat down and shook Logan's hand. “Hey”

“Hey”

“Another round, folks?” The waitress smiled and looked to Eli, nodding a greeting. 

“Yes!” Dick and Logan said in unison. Dick slapped his buddy on the back and also ordered a round of shots. 

It was a long night, but Logan seemed to think he was missing something or someone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first chapter was setting things up. I promise things get more fun. Enjoy!

Veronica woke up and looked at the clock. It was 5am and still dark out. She got dressed in tight running pants and a sports bra. She put her hair up in a ponytail and went for a run. She noticed Mac's car wasn't back and made a mental note to check on her when she got back. She ran down to the beach and up the main street. She passed the sheriff's office and saw a couple familiar faces inside. She stopped and watched them while she stretched and thought back to her childhood. She practically grew up at the station while her father was sheriff. She must have been lost in thought when she heard the sirens “woop woop” as Sheriff Lamb pull up next to her. She noticed he was on the wrong side of the road, but figured it was probably the least criminal thing he's done this week. She offered a smile. 

“Veronica Mars. I had this feeling you would be popping up this week.” He looked over her body. She was still petite, but he noticed she has some muscles. She looked really good.

“Deputy Lamb! What a marvelous detective you are! A high school reunion for my class is in a week and I show up in town! So smart, this one.” She smiled and shook her head. He looked about the same as he did ten years ago, but had a couple lines around his eyes. His hair was still mostly brown and full, with just a few gray strands popping up here and there.

“Sheriff, Mars. I'm still the sheriff.”

“Sheriff Mars does have that familiar, competent ring to it.”

Lamb glared at her and smacked his gum. “Cute.”

Veronica moved towards the cruiser and leaned in, bending over at the waist to look at the sheriff. “I don't see donuts, Lamb. I think you aren't working to the best of your abilities!”

“Mars, I don't think you could handle me at the best of my abilities.” He winked and looked at her rear end. 

Veronica smirked and tapped his nose. “Oh well, there goes that fantasy.” She rolled her eyes and pushed off the car. “Later, Deputy.” She winked and inserted her earbuds and started running again.

Lamb watched her and adjusted himself before pulling into the station.

 

Veronica stopped again on the way back to Mac's house. She walked around Dog Beach and watched the sky begin to brighten up. She thought about the job at hand and her mind wondered to who would be at the reunion. She suspected the usual suspects. She wondered what she would tell them about her profession and lifestyle. She should consider that soon, before she runs into someone else. She was turning to leave and noticed a movement in the water. A surfer was out there alone. She turned and sat on a bench, watching the athlete move on the water. It was relaxing and cleared her mind. She watched him for twenty minutes or so before he came in to take a break. As he was walking up, taking off the top of his wet suit, she noticed his face. Of course, it had to be Logan. She was far enough away that if she didn't make much noise, he wouldn't notice her. She watched him drink from a water bottle and push the sea water from his hair. He looked amazing. He was so toned and muscular now. His arms looked amazing and comforting. She shook her head, pushing such thoughts from her head. She looked back at him and he seemed to be heading back out to sea. She stood up and turned, moving back to the road to run back to Mac's. She stopped and looked back at him and he appeared to be looking back at her. She turned and ran. He didn't follow. 

 

Back at Mac's house, she entered and went to the kitchen. She started some breakfast and went to look for Mac. She was sitting on her bed with a baseball bat. Veronica laughed and tilted her head. “Hi.”

“Hey” Mac lowered the bat.

“I'm making breakfast, want something?”

“Nope. I'm pretty sure I will puke it up.”

“Fun night?” She paused “Join me, I gotta flip the eggs.” Veronica turned and rushed down to the kitchen. She managed to flip them so the yokes stayed intact and did a mini celebration with a “Yes!!” and fist pump. Mac gagged and sat at the table.

“Coffee and turn on that fan over the stove.” Veronica did as Mac commanded, silently offering cream and sugar. Mac wanted black. “So, yea, fun last night. Logan still asks about you. It sucks lying to him. I think you should tell him you are back.”

“I saw him surfing today. I don't know if he recognized me.”

“He was surfing? Oh God!” Mac ran off to puke. She came back and Veronica was finishing her breakfast. “You were eating while I puked?”

“Yup.” She chomped.

“How?”

“Food.” She smirked and washed the plate. As she turned her back to Mac, Mac noticed something on Veronica's back. 

“Veronica?”

“Yes, I know. I have a steel stomach, I'm the bottomless pit, blah blah blah.” She turned and smiled at her friend.

“No, well, yes, of course you are, but no. What's on your back?” 

Veronica reached back and felt around. “Do I have a 'kick me' sign on there? Wow! It's great to be home!” She smirked.

“No. The scar. On your left shoulder. It looks gnarly.”

“Totally!” Veronica was using her surfer girl voice.

“No. Veronica. It looks like it was extremely painful. What happened?” Mac got up and went to her friend, inspecting her back.

“Oh, that! Happened so long again, I always forget about it. It was an accident. It looks way worse than it was though, no worries.” She smiled but she was thinking how the jagged knife felt being plunged into her back and ripped back out. She had to get 22 stitches and couldn't lift her left arm for two months. 

Mac seemed to believe her, at least for a second or two before she started to look at the rest of her exposed back. She was in a sports bra and Mac could see a lot of exposed skin. “Veronica...?”

Veronica sighed and knew she was caught. She turned and faced her friend, which didn't help that much because she had a few scars in front too. She saw Mac's eyes widen and tried to calm her by placing her hands on Mac's shoulders. “Hey. I'm ok. I'm here, I'm talking. I'm dancing.” She did a little jig and Mac smiled a bit. “All is good.” Veronica smiled and kissed Mac's cheek. “OK, I need a shower and some deodorant and maybe two gallons of perfume. I'll be back in 20 minutes.” She went upstairs and Mac went back to her coffee.

Mac heard the shower start and went and grabbed her cell phone. She sent a text to Wallace, but he didn't reply fast enough. She was about to send one to Logan when she heard footsteps. She put her phone on the table and sipped her cold coffee. “Better?”

“Most definitely! I think I ran about 10 miles this morning. Certainly makes you sweat.”

“Veronica, I know you are ok, but I think you should know, you can tell me anything. I mean, I know I'm here and you are usually globetrotting, but I am your best friend. I am on your side.”

Veronica looked at Mac as she poured herself a cup of coffee and freshened Mac's cup up. She took a deep breath and nodded, returning the coffee pot. “I know. I appreciate you, Mac and all you do for me. I know I don't always make your life easy, but I do appreciate it.” She smiled warmly.

Mac nodded and looked into her coffee. “Who did all that to you?”

Veronica sighed and bit her bottom lip She could lie and tell her that she has had a terrible run of lovers, or maybe she was a martial arts champion. She looked at Mac and nodded. “I can't tell you much, but know that I am not a battered woman.”

“Veronica, you are covered in scars. You have been battered. Look, I can help you get out of that relationship, hide you away if you need it.”

Veronica smiled warmly at her friend. “I'm so glad you are who you are, but I'm fine. Really. I'm not even in a relationship.”

Mac was silent for a while. She stared into her coffee like it was some black hole.

“I have to run, but I'll be back later. Wanna maybe go to lunch? Might be a little late, though. I'm gonna run by my dad's and check on him and get some work done.”

“Work? What work, Veronica?” Mac's voice was soft.

“I'll see you around one. Feel better.” Veronica turned and walked out the door. She heard Mac's phone chime as she left. 

 

The text message followed quickly by a phone call as Logan panted on the other side. “Mac, what do you mean? Is she even here?”

Mac could tell he was driving, quickly from what she heard, and knew he would be at her place in a minute or two. “She's here, Logan. She's staying with me. But I saw these scars on her. I don't think she's safe. I thought she was fine and she still seems cheerful and well, Veronica. But she's different.”

“I'm pulling up in your driveway in 20 seconds. Keep her there.” He hung up.

Mac sighed and sipped her coffee. She knew he was pissed. He had every right to be. He, of course, was about to be more pissed since she wasn't even there anymore. Mac stood up and walked to the door and waited. She was still a mess. Her faux-hawk was pushed to the side and she was in her sleep clothes, a large tee shirt, but still wore last night's makeup. She pushed at her hair but gave up as she saw him screech into her drive. She opened the door. He was ranting as he walked in.

“Where is she? Veronica? I know you are here!” He moved through Mac's house, looking frantically for her. He even looked in closets and under the sink.

Mac told him that she was gone and would be back later. She remained calm. She offered him coffee. 

“Mac, I think I saw her this morning, out on Dog Beach. She was watching me.” Mac sat him down at the table, removed the used coffee mug and got him a fresh cup. “What if she was going to ask me for help?”

Mac shook her head. “She doesn't want help. I already offered it. I... I'm sorry, Logan. She made me promise.”

Logan looked up at Mac and smiled. “She's back. That's all that matters.” He lost his smile. “But, I'm going to kill whoever touched her. I wonder if her father knows.. Or Wallace.. “

“That she's back? Her dad knows she's in town. She's on her way over there now.” She was going to explain how Wallace has his own set of procedures to go through to talk to her, but Logan jumped up.

“Keith still at the house on Garnet?” He moved past her and to the door, not waiting for an answer.

“Yea, but Logan, you can't just show up at Keith Mars house.”

Logan blew her a kiss and smiled. “Watch me.” He left about as fast as he showed up.

Mac flopped on her couch and groaned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to get these chapters up as quickly as I can. I have them all written and just have to do an edit to them before posting.


	3. Chapter 3

Veronica nodded and thanked Mac for the courtesy call. She stopped and parked her car on the corner and stepped out. She climbed up on the hood and waited. She didn't expect it would take Logan long to fishtail his way to her dad's house. She was hoping she could talk to him before he burst into the house and scared her family. 

As usual, she was right. Logan came down the street. Logan slammed on the brakes, which thankfully didn't make too big of a noise and stopped the car in the middle of the road. He looked at her, sitting there. She looked exactly the same. She pointed to a spot to park his car and slipped off the hood of her car. Leaning against her car door, she watched him get out of the car, slamming the door and walked to her.

“So, she is alive.” He dragged the words out, resentment in his tone.

“I never doubted it.” She smirked.

He looked down at her, stopping inches from her and looked her over. She appeared to be in top physical health, no marks he could see, but not every asshole punches women in the face. “You ok?” He spoke softly, concerned, protective. 

“Fit as a fiddle! You?” She was cheerful. He couldn't tell if she was faking it or if it was genuine.

“I'm well. Did I see you earlier at Dog Beach?”

“Uh, yea. Sorry, I was all hot and icky from running and I didn't think our first chat since-” She paused. Since he called her a killer and 'not epic'? “Graduation should be with me drenched in sweat and B.O.. I hope you can understand that.” She grinned and motioned to the passenger side. “Get in. Let's go talk somewhere else.” 

Logan eyed her carefully and nodded. “Ok.” 

They got into the car and Veronica pulled away from her father's house. She held up a finger to Logan and called her dad. “Hey, yea, I ran into a snag this morning and will have to postpone our hug-fest. Can I offer dinner as an alternative? If the Mrs can't make it, I'll even turn my eyes away from a steak and potato man-meal.” Veronica laughed and nodded. “Ok, Dad. I'll see you tonight. Love you too.” She hung up and smiled at Logan. “Thanks for being quiet. I haven't see him yet and he'll throw a fit if he knew I saw you first. 

“Yea, I can understand that. Imagine my surprise to find you were at Mac's.” He was upset. He seemed to be speaking from his clenched teeth. “Veronica, where have you been?” 

“Uh, where haven't I been? I love to travel. I think it's good for the soul or something.”

“Veronica.” He used that tone to show he was concerned and annoyed and on the edge of being fed up. She used to know it well.

“I travel a lot for work, I don't even think I have a real home. I live in hotels and rental homes. I make so much money though.” She looked over at him and smiled big. He couldn't help but relax a bit. 

“Why haven't I heard from you?”

“Land mine. Let's go back to the easier questions, at least until I'm done operating a large mechanical device.”

Logan sighed and nodded. He looked to the road for a second and then back to her. “Are you married? Have kids?”

“No and no. You?” She knew the answer, but felt it would be nice if she asked him something.

“Also no and no. Have you been back to Neptune since I last saw you?”

“Land mine.” She turned onto the freeway and drove south along the coast.

“Right.” He was hurt. She knew he would be, he would pout and his brown eyes would grow and be huge puppy dog eyes and she would feel bad for making him hurt. “Where are we going, or is that a land mine too?”

She could hear the snark, but ignored it. “Somewhere we can talk.” She pulled off the freeway and after a couple roads, turned down a dirt road and headed towards a large warehouse.

“Are you bringing me here to kill me? This place looks creepy, Veronica.”

At least he was making jokes. She pulled up to the large door and turned the car off. She stopped him from getting out and when he turned to look at her, she took a deep breath. “I know I can share things with you, I also know what I'm about to share is gonna be shocking and scary and heartbreaking. I'm sharing things that no one else knows, well, no one you know knows. I'm talking huge things, Echolls. So, um. Don't take this for granted.” She turned and got out of the car quickly. She walked up to the door and slid the giant door to the side and punched in a code in the alarm system. Logan followed behind but stopped when he looked in. 

“So, I'm still Veronica Mars of Neptune, California. I'm 28 years old and I was voted most likely to make you piss your pants.” She smiled, nervously. 

Logan walked inside, blinking, jaw dropped. He noticed things he thought only existed in movies. He saw super computers with holograms and target dummies. He saw a lot of guns and other artillery and he saw a medical lab that looked like a serious setup. He turned and looked back at her. “You are a super spy.”

Veronica laughed and put a folder down on a table and put her keys on top of it. “Not exactly, but what I do is secret.”

“And dangerous. You've been hurt.” He spoke the last sentence softly.

“A few times. But I'm ok. I'm guessing Mac lead you to believe I was some abused girlfriend?” She laughed a bit. “Like I would put up with that.”

“Veronica, what have you gotten yourself into?” He was in some sort of shock as he walked around and played with some non-lethal gadgets.

“Roni, that you, doll-face? I.... oh. Hello.” 

Veronica looked up at the second level and then smiled brightly. “Hey there, non-sexual partner of mine. I've brought a guest. You remember Logan, right?”

Logan was blinking up to the man looking down at them. It was Troy Vandergraff, the drug-losing, heart-breaker of junior year at Neptune High. After he was shipped off to military school, they had lost touch. 

“Hang on, I'll come down.” And he was gone, only to reappear on the lower level in front of Logan and Veronica. He looked the same, mostly. He was in shape, wearing tighter clothes. He looked mature, but he still had his dimples when he smiled. “Logan Echolls. Wow. I heard you were still in town, but I didn't expect to see you with Roni. This is a surprise.” He turned to Veronica. “Did you share it with the boss?” Veronica shook her head and shrugged. “Too late now. I guess we'll have to trust him.” Troy smiled and shook Logan's hand. “She fill you in on what we do here? Honestly, I can't believe you would be cool with it, but I guess we didn't know each other that well.”

“Actually, Troy, I was just getting around to telling him that the scars Mac saw and called him to be concerned over were not from an abusive boyfriend, but from hard work. I haven't told him about the work.” Veronica was smiling, but Troy could tell he should back off. 

“Ahh, well, Mac cares. That's nice of her. No, man, Roni's got some bumps and bruises from the jobs, not from the lovers, which I have never been one.”

Veronica's jaw dropped and she glared at Troy. 

“What? Like you haven't been sexually active since high school.” Troy rolled his eyes and leaned in towards Logan. “I admit it, I tried, but she's like Fort Knox. She's not letting exes in there. Sorry, dude.” 

Veronica wishes Logan wasn't there right now. She could stab Troy in the neck and Logan wouldn't be any wiser. But she merely sighed and walked towards her folder. She threw it at Troy. ”Busy yourself, wingman-from-hell.” She grabbed Logan's arm and took him to the couch. “Want something to drink?”

“Tequila, whiskey, rum, scotch... I would even drink gin at this point.” He was shell shocked. She understood.

“Check. I'll see what we have.” She knew it was still morning, but he had only the smallest bit of info on what they did and if she expected to fill him in, she would need a drink or two too. She grabbed a bottle and a couple glasses and walked back. She put the glasses on the table and poured two triples. 

“Roni, is this right? Wasn't she in our class?” Troy walked over and ignored the alcohol completely.

“Yea, but no idea why she made our radar. I'm planning on doing some recon later.” She picked up a glass and handed it to Logan. She took the other and downed it pretty quickly. Logan watched her, wondering who this woman was now.

“Veronica, are you fucking insane!?”

All three of them jumped, and Troy merely walked away shaking his head. Veronica and Logan turned and saw Clarence Wiedman glaring at them from the wide open door. 

Logan looked from the head of security for Kane Industries to his former high school sweetheart who he felt must have an alien controlling her body. He leaned back and sipped his beverage.

“I swear it all makes sense, but yea, I'm a little insane. I think that's why I'm so good at what I do.”

“And does civilian Logan fucking Echolls know what you do? How much did we share with him, children?” 

“I'm not part of that, Boss.” Troy yelled from the balcony. 

“Clarence, I.. I didn't tell him that much. Pretty much he knows I have scars and he's seen this place. I was going to fill him in, calmly, with a couple more bottles of the cheap stuff.” She stuttered. 

Clarence Wiedman turned and looked at Logan who was watching him carefully. Clarence smirked. “Remember that night, at the Grand, where your girlfriend pushed Cassidy Casablancas off the roof and we asked you to lie about it?” Clarence had a twinge of vile in his tone. He waited for Logan to respond, which was a yes. “Well, I offered your girlfriend a job helping me make this world more secure. She kills people I ask her to. I guess she really is a killer.” He turned to Veronica who was drinking from the bottle. “There, band-aid off. Go kill your target or I send Troy.” And with that, Clarence Wiedman walked out of the warehouse. 

Veronica didn't want to look at Logan. She didn't want to know that he knew. And as soon as she looked over, she would know. She would see it in his eyes. She dropped the bottle, but it didn't break. The clank of the glass on the concrete echoed in the warehouse. She turned and walked into a small office and closed the door slowly.

Logan was quiet and watched her go. He finished his drink and gently set the glass on the table. He looked up to where Troy was, but he had his back to Logan. He saw Veronica's keys and thought about bolting, but it wouldn't change anything. He would just be a car thief. He stood up and took a couple steps and stopped. He was going towards her. He had no idea what to say to her, but he was going towards her. He continued to move and knocked on the door. He spoke softly. “Veronica?”

She sat on the bench and looked at the lockers. She was one of a handful of agents who used this facility. She was now the only one who put them in danger. Why did she do this? Why didn't she just tell him lies like she tells everyone else? Or even ignore his questions. That worked with some people. She knew why. Logan fucking Echolls wouldn't let her. She couldn't just lie to him. She had been avoiding him for ten years because she couldn't lie to him. 

“Veronica, please, come out.”

She turned and looked at the door and sighed. She stood up and opened the door, slowly looking up at him. She didn't look like she had been crying, but she did look defeated. “Hey. So, that happened.”

“Veronica, please, don't joke.”

She nodded. “Ok. Right. Sorry. Some things never change, I guess.” 

“Roni, I gotta go into town. You guys need anything?” Troy spoke from behind Logan. Veronica shook her head and he left, taking Veronica's car with him.

“Should we sit?” She gestured back to the couch. 

Logan shook his head. “I don't think I can. I really want to punch something though.”

Veronica smiled a bit. “We have dummies who can take it”

“Damn it, Veronica! I... this never came up as a possible lifestyle for you. Why would you do this?”

Veronica walked to the bottle, picking it up and setting it on the table. She shrugged. “After Cassidy, I knew I could.”

“Does your dad know?” He thought not, as Keith wouldn't allow his daughter to do anything this dangerous or violent.

“Of course not. No one knows. But you.” She looked up at him. “It's not really something I can brag about. I mean, I could, I am really good, but I don't think you would appreciate that much.

“Veronica!!” Logan picked up the bottle and threw it against the wall. It shattered and brown alcohol ran down the wall. Veronica seemed to keep her cool. Logan stopped and noticed that.

“I know. Not a fucking joke. But, look, I'm still handling cases, but I am trained to take care of myself now. I don't get hurt.”

“You have gotten hurt!”

“Anymore.” She paused. “I wasn't done.” She bit her lip

“Let me see your shoulder.” He had calmed a bit, or was trying to calm. His face was a bit softer, the hard lines of anger fading.

“Logan, I don't think you wanna see it. I mean, it's an old scar and-”

“Veronica, I am trying to understand this. Please, let me see your shoulder.” He was trying to keep his temper in check. She had to give him credit for that.

“Ok. I will show you, but then that's it. I'm not going to strip and show you every little boo boo I've gotten in the last ten years. Got it?”

He nodded.

“This is probably just a ploy to get me naked.” She smirked as she lifted her shirt over her head and stood before him in her bra. A few more scars were visible than earlier for Mac.

Logan walked towards her as she turned around and exposed her shoulder to him. He looked down at her and felt his heart in his throat. Someone did this, did all of those marks to her. He traced a finger over it. It was smooth, shiny, but the scar zigzagged like a lightning strike. 

Veronica softly gasped when he touched her shoulder. She hated this. She knew what he was thinking, how she was so little and even more broken then when they were together. But she felt stronger. She felt pieced back together. Mostly. She felt his hand go to other spots on her back and trace the scars. Her walked around her and looked at the collection of scars on he chest and stomach. He had big tears in his eyes, but he couldn't look away. Veronica sighed and turned, putting her shirt on.

“How” Logan's voice was shaky.

“Um, which one? They all have stories, Logan.”

“The shoulder? All of them?”

Veronica turned and shook her head. “No, that's not happening. I'm not going to make you and me feel like shit because I messed up a few times. I learned the curve and I'm fine. 

“Veronica... “ 

She sighed and walked to the couch. She sat. “I was in” She looked up at him and smirked. “Some city and I was trying to take out some people. I was up against a couple large guys who liked knives. One of them stabbed me in the shoulder with a rather nasty one.” She decided not to say 'back' since 'shoulder' sounds less deadly.

“How did you make it out?” Logan walked over and sat on the table.

“Clarence came in. He shot them and took me to a medical facility. I was patched up and back to work in no time.” She smiled softly, but it faded. “It's probably the worst of the injuries I've gotten. I know a guy who survived someone pulling his intestines out.” She regretted saying it and cursed herself, but it was out there. “We kill bad people, Logan, criminals who the government can't legally touch. They tend to not fight fair sometimes.”

Logan looked over at her and sighed. “Is this why you didn't come to me at the beach? I would have seen the scars?” 

“Partly. I wasn't stalking you, by the way. I was out for a run and stopped at the beach to enjoy the view. I noticed a surfer and decided to sit and watch him for a while. I didn't know it was you until you were back on the beach. I was hoping you wouldn't notice me.”

Logan smiled and it made Veronica feel like heaven. “I could never not notice you, Veronica. I've seen you in my dreams so often, I haven't forgotten what you look like. I thought maybe I was hallucinating though, until Mac sent that text.” 

“Yea, remind me to kill her for that.” Veronica smirked then laughed when Logan's eyes widened. “Joke! I can see how you would be confused, but I swear, just a joke. You know, Mac didn't even think the text went through.”

Logan grabbed her hand and held it, inspecting it idly as he thought of what to say next. “I should apologize to you, Veronica. I was not fair in what I said in my hotel suite that day. We didn't deserve to end that way.”

Veronica knew that feeling. It had been ten years, but she knew when her heart strings were pulled back into Logan's loving embrace. She leaned in, looking at his lips, wondering if they stayed sweet and soft. Logan moved closer too, lips parting as he watched her.

Veronica jumped when her phone rang and she leaned back. She held up a finger and answered the phone. “Sup? Oh, hey Troy, funny to hear from you so soon after you steal my car. Oh. And I can do what? Uh huh. I see. Dude, you owe me so much.” She ended the call and looked to Logan. “I have to go save Troy's ass. You can come with, and stay in the car, or stay here or I suppose I could call you a cab or something. I'm sorry.” She stood up and walked to the weapons cabinet and began to arm herself with guns and knives and minor explosives. She turned and looked at Logan, who was standing and looking very confused again. “Where did I lose you, Logan?” 

“About ten years ago.” When she pouted, he shook his head. “I'll come with. Where we going?” He walked over to the cabinet and Veronica smacked his hands when he reached for a gun.

“No. You are Car-Protector. You get to guard the car! I'm so jealous.” Veronica used her valley girl voice and flashed a grin up at him.

“Ok, where will I be protecting this imaginary car?” He sighed and put his hands in his pockets.

“Not imaginary. Follow me.” He did and they walked to another side of the building. She opened a normal garage door and a black sedan sat there. She grabbed the keys and got in. Logan slid into the passenger's seat and buckled up.

“Where, Veronica?”

“River Stix, Logan.” She peeled out and hit a button that locked up the warehouse and set the alarm. 

“No! What! Are you crazy?! Remember the last time we ended up there? I can't let you do this.”

“Yea, not gonna stop me, Logan. I'm a big girl. I can handle it. Besides, Troy is there. You love Troy!”

“I tolerate Troy. I hated him for breaking your heart. I say we cut our losses with Troy.” Logan was using his sarcastic tone.

“Can't. We took an oath to protect each other for the next fifty years. Or maybe it was to protect gummy bears. We were terribly drunk.” Veronica sped through town and quickly pulled into the parking lot of the River Stix. She put the car in park and leaned over to Logan, grabbing his shirt and kissing him passionately. “For luck.” She winked and moved to get out of the car, but stopped. “Why don't you get in the driver's seat, keep the doors unlocked and the engine running. We'll be out in a few minutes.”

Logan tried to stop her but she was so quick and slippery. He got out and watched her walk in. He went around to the other side of the car and sat down, moving the seat way back as he was nearly a foot taller than Veronica.


	4. Chapter 4

Veronica walked in, guns drawn, but at her sides and a big smile on her face. She noticed Troy was getting punched up against the back wall by her favorite Irishman, Liam Fitzpatrick. She nodded to the bartender and waved him out from behind the bar and to lower the shotgun he was hiding. He did, but yelled back at Liam. “Boss, look who is playing dress up!”

Veronica smirked and nodded at the second-fiddle hoodlum and waved her piece at Liam. “Whoa, matey, you got old. Have you been eating well enough?” She nodded to Troy, who gave a weak nod in return to say he was alright, even if his face didn't look it. 

“Well, I'll be! Veronica Mars came back. I suppose you missed me? Come here, give ole Liam a hug!” He was all smiles and venom when he spoke. A couple of his goons held Troy still. Liam walked around a pool table and then another.

Veronica smirked and held up a gun. “Whoa tiger, I'm not into older men. Well, there was that one guy, but he... nevermind, you don't care. Let Troy go. We need to talk.” She watched Liam stop when she pointed a gun at him.

“Blondie, I remember you had a gun when you were in here last time with a rich fellow. I believe you got away with it too. But taking a second crack at it, I don't think that's too smart. Maybe you should just stick to womanly duties. Cooking, cleaning, bending over. Damn, were you always this hot?” He licked his lips and crudely adjusted himself. 

“Yup. Maybe that LASIK is really something! Now, Troy. Let him go. I'll tell you why I'm in town. You'll be interested. It's juicy gossip.” She smiled and nodded encouragingly.

Liam waved a hand and Troy dropped to the floor with a thud. A second later, he pulled himself up using a nearby stool and walked past Liam, slipping his cell phone out of Liam's sleeveless denim vest's pocket with a bloody grin. He slipped it back in his pocket and pulled two guns out from Veronica's back holster. 

“Roni, I owe you.”

“Don't tell C what I'm about to do.” She winked at Troy and nodded to Liam. “Oh, he is honorable after all! Who knew!”

“Curiosity is a terrible thing to have. So, spill it.” Liam leaned against the pool table and crossed his arms over his chest.

“First, tell me what Molly has been up to these days. I haven't seen her since high school! I know there's a reunion coming up, but I can't wait.”

Liam blinked and jerked his head back. “Molly? She's been dead a couple years now, Mars. You have been out of the loop! Don't you get the newsletter? They did a beautiful page on her. So, now, why you here? Was it so I could watch you on your knees?” He grinned wickedly. 

She ignored his flirtations. “So, Molly is really gone? Not just 'dead to the family' mafia bullshit?”

“Yes, really gone. Move on to sucking my-”

“Gross, no. I'll remember this, Liam. Now, Stay.” That's when she and Troy bolted out the door and jumped into the car with Logan. “Drive!” She inspected Troy's wounds and discovered he would live and climbed into the front with Logan. Logan was working his way through the streets quickly and efficiently. She told him to duck into a garage about a quarter mile up and cut the engine. 

“Damn, Roni, that dude... Thanks.”

“What the hell were you even doing there, Troy? I thought Molly was mine.”

“Molly Fitzpatrick? She died a couple years ago, Veronica.” Logan chimed in as he turned the car off and looked over at her. She appeared to look the same as she did when she entered, but Troy looked roughed up.

“Yea, that would have been nice to know earlier.” She leaned back and waited for the muscle cars to speed past them. “Troy... ?”

“Recon. I figured you were busy with Mr. Echolls here, so I would go and see what's what. Last I heard, she married some Russian guy and was working at some club.”

“Russian. Sorokin?”

“Yea, Roni. If not an actual family member, then a goon. She must have gotten into something she couldn't get out of.”

“Sounds like a couple people in this car.” Logan mumbled. 

Veronica ignored it and kept her focus on Troy. “So, if she's been dead this long, why target her now? Do they not know who's already dead?”

“Maybe we already killed her and it's a clerical error.” Troy smiled, his teeth were covered in blood, but it looked like his nose was done gushing. Logan winced and started the car back up. He backed up and pulled out the same direction the Irishmen went. He turned off and stopped at a convenience store. 

“I'll be right back.” Logan got out of the car and walked into the store. He pushed past the line of people and made it to the restroom. When Troy and Veronica, sans weapons and armor, walked in, they could hear him puking. Veronica sighed and Troy went into the restroom. 

They were alone inside the dirty restroom. There were a couple of stalls, Logan kneeling in one and a couple urinals with sinks on another wall. Troy went to a sink and began to wash the blood from his face. He waited until Logan rinsed out his mouth and had a moment to compose himself. 

“Roni's been doing this a long time. I get that you think she just started, but she's been trained and can handle herself, better than me. She has grace and wit and knows just how hard she can push people before they snap. She almost always has an exit plan and she takes care of her own. Logan, she's in a good place, even if it seems like she's being reckless. She told you as a security measure. She doesn't want you to go off screaming her name. I mean, I'm sure it's because she still cares for you, but don't think she's still your little bobcat.” Troy checked his face in the filthy mirror and shrugged. “Good thing I didn't graduate with you guys. I might still be a little battered come Saturday.” 

Logan looked at Troy and listened to him talk. He nodded and wiped his mouth with a paper towel. “I see. Thanks, Troy.” 

“Anytime, man.” Troy walked out of the restroom and smiled to Veronica. She sighed and watched him go back to the car. Logan came out and walked over to her and handed her the keys.” Can you take me to my car? I've had enough excitement. I need to process all this.”

“Of course! I understand. I'll take you now. Come on.” She smiled and it melted Logan. She was so calm and collected and he was freaking out. He followed her to the car and sat behind Veronica. 

He listened to her remember and scold Troy for leaving her car back at River Stix, but they could pick it up after dropping Logan off. Logan felt sick to his stomach again and was happy to be back to his car so soon. She got out of the car so she could talk to Logan alone. She walked him back to his car and offered a hug. He opened his arms and held her, this tiny woman, tightly in his arms. He kissed her head, mostly out of habit, but he didn't regret doing it. She hugged him tighter before she let go and he stepped back. “I'll call you later, if that's ok?”

“Veronica... I... I would love that.” He offered a weak smile. He turned and got into his car, offered a little wave and drove away. 

Veronica watched him drive off and then got back in the car. “Oh fuck. It's already noon. I promised Mac lunch at one. You'll have to find another way to get my car, Troy.”

“Roni, I told him some stuff. Nothing like details, but a reality check type of thing. He's gotta process it. I'm sure you two will be going to get chocolate malts in no time!” 

“Yea.” She pulled out and drove him back to the warehouse before making her way back to Mac's house. 

 

Logan made it home and plopped on his couch. His Veronica, sweet Veronica, was a killer. He doesn't even know if she killed anyone today. He hadn't heard gunshots, but she said she was trained. Maybe she knew other ways. He twisted and laid down and looked up at the ceiling. He caused this. He told her she wasn't epic and he was just confused. Like he is now. She is epic and bad ass and still amazing and so strong and capable, and a killer. She spends her days murdering people. He thought about calling Dick. He would love it, laugh about it, mock her when they see each other again. But, she probably doesn't want everyone to know. He thought about telling her dad, but he wouldn't believe him. Keith Mars has learned to be civil when around Logan, but he never trusted him, never thought he was good enough for his daughter, the killer. He slapped himself on the side of the head. He could tell Wallace. He probably wouldn't tell anyone and he would be just as shocked as Logan, unless he knows. What if he knows? Logan felt horrible for Wallace all the sudden, to carry this burden, all this time. Maybe it would get easier. He passed out and had nightmares about Veronica being killed by all sorts of vicious men and ways.


	5. Chapter 5

Veronica entered Mac's house, putting her phone and car keys on the counter and called out.”Mac! I'm back! Heh. That rhymed.” She smiled to herself and closed the door. “You ready for lunch or-”

“Veronica Mars. I have a warrant for your arrest.” Sheriff Lamb walked over to her as Mac shrugged behind him. 

“Back in town less than 24 hours and you can't wait to arrest me. I'm flattered.” Veronica smirked. “What is it this time? I stole your cruiser and took it for a joyride? I pounced on Clete the Crime Fighting Canine? Maybe I stole your heart?” Veronica batted her lashes and Mac giggled. 

Lamb shook his head, handcuffs in hand and smirk on his face. “Assault and attempted murder, Sunshine. Oh, what a day!” He turned Veronica around, rubbed his hands over her, checking for weapons, spending a bit too long around her behind and breasts area. He slammed the cuffs onto her wrists, making her wince a bit and pushed her out the door. 

Mac had stopped laughing and followed them do the door, watching her get loaded into the car. “Anyone I should call, Veronica?” 

“Cliff” was all she got out before Lamb slammed the door. He got into the cruiser and drove back to the station. 

Mac picked up the phone and called the Mars Family Attorney. “Hey Cliff, oh, I'm great. You'll want to go to the station. Veronica is back in town.”

 

Lamb looked back at Veronica in the back seat, squirming a bit in the cuffs, but being surprisingly silent. “I gotta admit, I was shocked as hell that Liam Fitzpatrick came in and accused you of this, but he actually had tape of it. You sure seem pretty comfortable with a gun, Veronica. You make it into FBI or something?”

“Something, Deputy.” She smiled up at him in the mirror.

“I don't know if Daddy will be able to help you with this one. I mean, video record of his little girl standing up to the Irish Mob. I'm impressed, Veronica. Really. That was stupid, but very brave.

“I live to impress, Lamb.” She looked out the window. She didn't seem too concerned with this. That worried Lamb.

“Why were you there? Got a death wish? Maybe want to get raped?” He sighed when he remembered her coming in when she was sixteen. He was such an asshole. He didn't apologize this time either. 

“Nope, too exciting the first time, Lamb. I think I'll wait to talk about my activities with my attorney, if you don't mind.” 

Lamb nodded and watched the road. He had her back at the station shortly after and pushed her inside. She walked past Inga, who pouted at her and shook her head, Sacks who just watched with little emotion and surprisingly Leo, who watched her with a very confused expression. Veronica had dated Deputy Leo D'Amato when she was seventeen and he was barely twenty. She smiled at him.” Looking good, Leo. Welcome back to the force!” Lamb chomped his gum and pushed Veronica back towards the cells. She was put in the female cell with no one else in it. It had a couple bunks and a toilet. “OOO... snazzy.” She waited til Lamb removed the cuffs and then slammed the door. He stopped and took a deep breath. Veronica turned and raised a brow at him.

“I have waited for this for a long time. Let me enjoy this moment.”

Veronica smirked and gestured for him to continue. After a minute or two, she was left alone. She laid on the bottom bunk and hummed softly to herself. 

Sacks came in and checked on her, asked if he should call her dad. She shook her head, but thanked him. The real treat was when Leo came in. Veronica turned her head and smiled. “You always did look good in that uniform, Deputy.” She rolled out of the bed and walked to the bars.

“Veronica Mars. Not the way I wanted to see you in handcuffs.” He smirked and chuckled.

“Always so good with the lines! So... what brings you to my little home away from home?” She was smiling wide.

“Oh, you know, wondering why you would go there.”

“Go where?”

“The River Stix.”

“I don't remember any water.”

“Cute.” He smiled down at her, his dimples showing. She remembered he always had a great, infectious smile.

“Is this an interrogation or are you flirting with me? I'm confused.” She mocked him, smirking.

“I'm just trying to make sense of it, Veronica. Explain it to me.” He lost the grin. He spoke in a tone that showed he was concerned.

Veronica smiled. “Nope, I'm done doing that today. I tried once and I think it backfired.”

“With Liam?”

Veronica blurted out a loud “Ha!” She chuckled “No, with someone else. Look, do I get my phone call?”

“Probably within the hour, Veronica. Want me to make it for you? I happen to know the code to call out.” He smirked.

“Oh? Is it nine?” 

Leo laughed and nodded. “Alright. If you think of anything you want to say to me, I'll be around. You can talk to me, Veronica. I want to help.”

“Leo, the only thing I want to say to you is you look very hot. I am glad you came to see me. Gives me something to think about on these long, cold nights.” She purred then winked and he laughed a bit and shook his head. 

“Cool as a cucumber.”

“OO.. got one? I could use it when I think of-” She looked behind Leo and grinned brightly. “Cliffy! Oh, how I missed you!”

“Right. And you thought this was the best way to say hello?” Cliff McCormack's baritone voice vibrated in the cell. He walked in and set his briefcase on a small metal table and turned to face Veronica.

“Well, Leo mentioned handcuffs... “Veronica shrugged. 

“Deputy, I believe I get quality time with my client. Do you mind?”

“I do if it involves handcuffs.” He laughed and walked back to his desk. 

“Oh, Veronica. I have to admit, this is a little more serious than your former criminal escapades. I watched the tape. What were you thinking?”

“Cliff, I know it probably looks bad, but I didn't fire a weapon or really aim them at anyone. I merely held them and showed them off. Right?”

“I have to say, that's a good way to look at it, but I don't think it's a good defense. How about Liam stole your pony and you were asking politely for it back? Was that Troy Vandergraff with you? Why was he so bloody?”

“They beat him up. I went to get him back. Troy isn't my pony though.”

Cliff smiled. “I see. Well, unless they give us tape of them beating him up, that won't work. They must have edited the tape, cut that bit out. What were you and Liam talking about for so long?”

Ahh, so no audio on the tape. Veronica smiled a bit. “Ponies.” 

“Veronica. This is serious.”

“I know, Cliff. I'm sorry. If I could make my phone call, I could have this dealt with in no time. I promise. I just wanted to see you!”

Cliff nodded and grabbed his briefcase. “I'll have them make sure you get it. Need anything? Want me to call Papa?” 

Veronica lost her smile. “No, that's not needed. I'll be out before dinner, if I get my phone call. Don't tell him you saw me in here, ok?”

“As the client wishes. Speaking of, where do I send your bill?”

“Mac's. Probably. Know what? I'll call you.”

“Right. I've heard that before. Bye Veronica. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.”

She heard him talk to a deputy about his client's phone call and then he was gone.

Lamb came in, smiling bright and hooked the phone up to the nearby jack. He opened her cell and motioned for her to use the phone.

Veronica laughed a bit at him. “You are having the best day ever, aren't you?”

He thought about it and nodded. “I really think I am.”

Veronica shook her head, still smiling at Lamb and dialed the number. She waited for it to ring a couple times and it went to voicemail. “Hey, I'm in county jail with the adorable Sheriff Lamb and some silly charges concerning the River Stix. I would be so eternally grateful if you could do that thing you do. Thanks!” She hung up the phone and gestures back to the cell. Lamb nods and she reenters without issue. Lamb locks it up and looks at her. 

“Veronica, are you involved in something I should know about? Are you in trouble, besides this? I know we don't always play well together, but I am concerned.” He sounded so serious. 

Veronica leaned up on the bars, really close to Lamb and licked her lips. “I'm finer than a bee in a flower, Lamb. You'll get a call soon. Maybe you should go sit at your desk.” 

Lamb watched her lick her lips and felt that twinge in his groin again. Veronica Mars was legal and asking for it. He just wasn't sure what she was asking for. He nodded and silently left the room. She noticed his swagger and smiled.

 

Lamb didn't have to wait long. He got a call maybe four minutes later from the governor of California. He jumped in the seat and spilled some coffee on his uniform. He answered the call and spoke with respect and only stumbled over a couple words. The governor asked that Veronica Mars be released immediately and they drop all charges. He also asked that the evidence against her be mailed directly to his office and all copies destroyed. 

“So, is Mars a federal agent? She's not showing up in the database, besides what is on her record here, sir.” Lamb was confused 

“No, Sheriff. Mars is a civilian, but she has earned some favors. Just do it.” And he hung up. 

Lamb was shocked. He was sure with the evidence he had, he could finally put Mars away, at least for a little while. He wasn't concerned with the Fitzpatricks, they weren't likely to do anything to the law enforcers, but he was now concerned with Veronica's safety. If he lets her walk out of the station, there's a chance the Fitzpatricks will seek to harm her. He called Leo into his office.

“Leo, go release Veronica and escort her back to her friend's house.”

“Sheriff? Are you sure that's wise? I mean, I adore her, but she was waving guns around-”

“Do it, Leo.”

 

Deputy Leo walked down the cells and shook his head. “You must have some powerful friends, Miss Mars. I'm here to release you back into the wild.”

“Rawr!” Veronica jumped up and clawed towards him. She waited for him to open the cell and opened her arms.

“Veronica, I... I am worried about you.”

“So, no hug? Ok.” She dropped her arms with a little pout. 

Leo pulled her arm and gave her a big hug. “I'm just.. with the Fitzpatricks out there, and us no longer involved. How did you get the governor to call anyway?

“Leo, a true lady never tells. And I called my boss.” She flashed a grin.”Don't you worry about me, Deputy. I'm a big girl. I can handle myself, as you saw.” She winked. 

“Yea, about that... guns? Armor? Where did you get them?”

“Accessory closet.”

“Veronica Mars, Army of One.”

“So, I'm free to leave? Do I get a ride or do I have to hitchhike? I mean, I think that's illegal.”

Leo noticed her subject change and think he may have gotten close to the truth with that. At least closer than she found comfortable. “I'll ride you.. er, give you a ride.” He grinned wide and pointed towards the exit.


	6. Chapter 6

Mac called Logan and left a message that Veronica had just been arrested for assault and attempted murder and she was freaking out. She tried Wallace, but he was obviously busy, the ignorant bastard. She thought about calling Dick, just to have someone to talk to about it, but then remembered who Dick was and shook her head. That wouldn't work out for her. She looked at the clock. It was already three pm. Veronica had been in jail for a couple hours and Mac had done nothing to get her out. She decided she would drive down there and maybe pay her bail or something. She opened the door just as Leo pulled out of her driveway. Veronica stood there, hand about to twist the knob, but now awkwardly about to grope Mac in a private place. She pulled her hand back and smiled.

“All good, Mackie! Sorry if you were worried. That was just Lamb being his usual incompetent self.”

“Oh, good. I was worried. I think there's something you aren't telling me though.”

Great, another disappointed friend ready to be enlightened.

“Probably, Mac. I have secrets. I'm sure you do too. I would really appreciate it if you let them be my secrets and respect me enough to let some things go.” Veronica came off a little more snippy than she meant to. Mac had been there for her for ten years, hiding things, never asking the wheres or whys, but being a true friend. Veronica suddenly felt like an jerk. “Sorry, Mac. I'm sorry. I'll answer all your questions tomorrow. I'm just a bit overwhelmed being back today. A little too much sharing has already happened today and I haven't even been to see my dad.” 

Mac nodded. “Alright. Tomorrow.”

“I'm going to go lay down for a while. We'll do lunch tomorrow too. My treat! I'm sorry it got hijacked.”

Veronica picked up her phone and looked at it. Seven missed calls and twelve unread texts. Well, at least she could trust Mac not to read her phone. She smiled. Mac must have noticed and chimed in. “I looked each time, but I didn't recognize any of the numbers. No names came up and they all seemed to be from out of town.”

“It's ok. I'm sure it's just work. I'll go listen before I lay down. I'll see you later.” Mac nodded and Veronica walked up stairs to the guest bedroom and closed the door behind her. She sat on the bed and kicked off her shoes. She entered the security code to get into her phone and listened to the messages. A couple were from Troy, giving her updates on her car and wondering where she was. One was from Clarence, apologizing for the outburst earlier and saying he would sit down with Logan and explain things. A few were from some associates trying to set up meetings for some assistance and one from Clarence's boss, suggesting she cool herself down and lie low for a while. She tried to call Clarence back, but he didn't answer. She left a basic message about how she was fine, charges were dropped. She called Troy back and repeated it to him, but he thanked her for the information. She told Troy about the assistance calls she got and asked him to look into them for her. She trusted these people needed her skills, but only questioned if they still needed them and if they could survive, literally, with Troy's skills instead. She also mentioned that she was most likely benched and would see him later. 

She hung up and laid back. She played with her phone, twirling it around for a few minutes before she decided to call Logan. She noticed it rang only once before he answered. She was sure her number was random on a phone, but he seemed to know it was her. “Veronica?”

“Yup. I'm here. You wouldn't believe the day I've had.”

“Yea? Wanna compare?” He sounded tired, but in a better mood.

“I just went to jail for the last couple hours.” 

“My ex-girlfriend is a hired assassin who took me on a field trip and let me be her getaway driver.”

“I didn't kill anyone though.”

“Today.”

“Right. Liam just had me arrested. Fun town you have here.”

“Arrested for what?” He didn't know why he asked. Mac just told him a while ago.

“Doesn't matter. Charges dropped. All is well. No soap stories for this gal.”

“I'm not sure I'm ready to joke about it all, Veronica.”

Veronica sighed. “Clarence offered his deepest apologies for how he handled the situation this morning and would like to explain how things work, properly, to you.”

“I think I get how killing works, Veronica.”

“I know, but it's different. It's not a bad thing, Logan.”

“Murder is wrong, Veronica. I don't know where you were when we studied that in school, but I was there. I actually paid attention to that class. I mean, I think I've dealt with it enough in my life. Girlfriend, Father, attempts made on different girlfriend.”

“What about the murder of Mercer Hayes?”

Logan got silent. Mercer had been his friend in college, even vouched for him when he was accused of raping Logan's future girlfriend, Parker Lee and shaving her head after. After three girls were raped, Mercer was found dead with his head shaved and his throat slashed. It was then investigated and with the GHB they found in Mercer's room, he was probably the rapist. “How do you know about him?”

“I kept an eye on you guys, Logan. I wasn't going to get that prick keep that up. His dad was some corrupt councilman and he was looking at a very light prison sentence for a crime he would just continue doing. I got permission from Clarence and handled it. Troy was jealous of that one, since he was actually accused of one of the rapes back when we were in high school.”

Logan was quiet again and then spoke as if he were fighting back tears. “Veronica, I get your view on it. I just feel like I am finding out Santa Claus is molesting children. I am having trouble coming to terms with it, regardless of how justified you think these murders are.”

“Ok, Logan. So, what does that all mean now? What are you going to do with all this information I trust you with?”

“I don't know.” His voice was soft.

They were quiet for a bit then Logan spoke up again. “So, Troy is your partner? How long has he been doing this?”

“Oh, a few years now. He's decent enough. I feel like he's got my back. If I thought he was going to be there, I would have warned you, Logan. I'm sure it didn't help things to see him.”

“Are you two lovers?”

Veronica opened her mouth to talk then closed it. She thought about the question and shook her head, knowing he couldn't see it. “No, Logan. But this isn't a good road to go down. I mean, I don't ask you about your past lovers.”

Logan noticed the pause and bit his tongue. Once he heard that last sentence though, he burst out. “I suspect that's because you stalked all your friends and knew who they were dating!”

“Logan, I was making sure you guys were safe. I am not sorry for protecting you.”

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I supposed had the roles been reversed, I would do what I had to to keep you safe.”

“I have to go get ready for dinner with my dad soon, but I would like to see you again, maybe without yelling or guns around?” She was cheerful again.

“Veronica....”

“I mean, I get it if you don't want to see me again. I really do have to urge you not to tell anyone though. It would be very bad for a lot of people. Not just myself and Troy, but good people. Lets meet up later this week. Lunch? Dinner? I'm currently open all week.”

“Ok, I'll keep it to myself, but you still owe me big, Mars. And stop bringing up Troy. I hate that guy.”

Veronica laughed and agreed. She hung up the phone and closed her eyes. Veronica rested for about an hour, not really sleeping, but enjoying the stillness. She opened her eyes and looked up at the white popcorn ceiling and sighed. She checked her phone, no messages and then sat up. She stretched and went and found a cute outfit to wear to dinner. She brushed her hair, put on some makeup and changed her clothes. She walked down to find Mac sleeping on the couch. She smiled and sneaked out quietly.


	7. Chapter 7

Veronica pulled up to her dad's house and looked at the front. She could see he had invited some people and was glad she got out of her jam at the station so she didn't have to disappoint these people. She got out of the car and Wallace opened the door. “Pirate Pride!” He was grinning wide and dressed in a casual business look. He had gone on to get his degree in mechanical engineering and then turned around and went back to Neptune High School to be a science teacher there. He also was assistant couch to the basketball teams and really seemed to love it. Veronica felt her heart grow at the sight of her friend and grinned back at him.

“Pirate Pride, my brotha!”

“Hey. You would think that joke gets funnier every time you use it, but it really doesn't. I think it's time to bury it and move on.”

Veronica laughed and walked up to him and embraced him. He hugged her and they stepped side to side for a while while hugging. They released each other, but he kept an arm around her. “Mom had some booster meeting or something. She sends her love and tells me to tell you that you better come back later this week. She wants some mommy-daughter time.” Alicia had reunited with Keith a year or so after graduation. They married the following year, which Veronica sneaked back into town for, and welcomed the Fennels into the Mars family. She never did dress Darrell in dresses though. Her dad appeared happy and the Fennel boys adored him. It was something she had to support. 

“Veronica?” It was Keith, standing in the doorway. He was exactly the same as he was when she last saw him. “Other people want hugs too, mostly me.” He grinned and Veronica moved over to hug him tightly”

“Hey, Dad. You look good. Slimmer than last time? Is Alicia making you diet again?” She poked his belly and smiled.

“She is an amazing cook but only makes enough for one helping. I might be wasting away.” His face showed how much he had missed her. It always lit up when he saw her. “This is why number one daughter and number one-half son are taking their old man to dinner, so he can finally feel full.”

“Seems like there's more people inside. Are we letting them starve?” Veronica peeked inside the house and a tall and thin teenage boy came up and hugged her. “Oof! Darrell, you gotta stop growing! I'm short. I need short people to hug me!” She laughed as she hugged her step-brother and looked past him. “Oh my. I see the rumors are true!”

“Yes, Veronica.” Jane Fennel pushed her way off the couch, Darrell stepping in to help his sister-in-law stand up. Her stomach was huge and she was due in a couple weeks. “The alien is about to hatch. I think I'm ready to start rolling everywhere.” She smiled and went to hug Veronica. 

Veronica made it to their wedding too, but Logan was there so she had to be very careful about where she was. Jane used to be known as Jane Kuhne, a petite strawberry blonde girl who had knee surgery while in high school. She was also the one who Wallace dumped for another girl. Jane took him back after college and the two obviously adore each other. They were another happy couple in her Mars extended family. 

“So, am I getting a niece or nephew? Doesn't matter to me, he or she will be getting a camera and skeleton key set for their first birthday!” She laughed and rubbed Jane's belly gently. 

Jane moved Veronica's hand to another spot and smiled. ”She's kicking over here.”

Veronica looked up and smiled sweetly. “She. Awesome.”

Darrell's stomach growled and he looked around sheepishly. “I'm a growing boy. We going to get food soon or not?”

Veronica slipped her arm around Darrell's and nodded. “Here here! I second that we go get food! We can catch up while they cook.” 

They walked out the of the house and Keith locked up. Wallace pulled Veronica to the side and smiled. “I'm going with Veronica. Jane, you ok to ride with Papa Keith?” Wallace motioned to her car after getting the nod from his wife. Veronica accepted it and got in the driver's seat. She was buckling up when she looked up and saw Wallace staring at her. 

“Hi.”

“I got some text messages today from Mac. I thought we should talk about how I'm now your brother and if you are in trouble, I'll help you out. I may not be the biggest of your childhood friends, but I know some people. I'm sure I could get Eli to get some of his biker buddies and we-”

Veronica cut him off. “Whoa. I'm fine. I'm not being abused.” She knew she should say more but she drove in silence for awhile.

“Your secrets are eating you up, Veronica. You know that Mac and I are only concerned and we can't even share that with Dad, it's not fair. It's been ten years, Veronica. I thought you would learn to trust us by now.”

That hurt. It was true, but Veronica winced a bit as he said it. “When will you be available tomorrow?”

Wallace blinked and sat up a little straighter. “Uh, school until at least two. I have a free period at the end of the day. I could probably be out by three.”

Veronica sighed and nodded. “Ok, meet me at Mac's house. I have some confessions to make to you guys. Just leave Dad out of the loop. Once you leave Mac's tomorrow, you'll understand why. Let's just have a nice meal and relax tonight, alright?” She pulled into the restaurant parking lot and parked next to her father's car.

Wallace nodded and licked his lips. “Ok, Veronica. But I'm expecting some big answers tomorrow.” He opened the car door and helped his wife out of the other car. 

Keith walked around and held out his hand for Veronica and she jumped under it, accepting his warm embrace again. “I can't believe it's been ten years since I watched you get your diploma, honey. I'm still so proud of you.” He leaned over and kissed her head before letting her walk through the doorway.

Veronica was glad her dad couldn't see her face. She felt horrible all the sudden, with the lies and secrets. But there was no way he would still be proud if he knew. She managed to swallow it all down and smile again at her step-brothers as they waited for a table.

The Mars family chatted and laughed like any other family out at dinner. Veronica learned of Darrell's fantastic impersonation of Mr. Van Clemmons, the principal of Neptune High and had him repeat it several times between bites. Jane ate all of her food and about a quarter of Wallace's plate. He joked that she would lose a hand, but when he grabbed it, he only kissed it. Keith enjoyed his steak and baked potato with butter and sour cream and threatened them all that Mama Mars was not to know of this. Veronica smiled and looked around at her family. It had been a while since she felt truly normal. The night ended with lots of hugs and promises of more meals and gatherings before Veronica left town again.


	8. Chapter 8

Veronica woke up early and put on her running outfit. She put her hair up and left Mac, who had moved from the couch at some point, a note and started to run. She ran along the same path as before, even past the sheriff's office. She didn't stop though. She kept running and made it to Dog Beach and stopped. It was peaceful. She turned and stopped as Logan stood behind her, surfboard in hand.

“Hey!” She smiled brightly.

“Hi Veronica.” He looked tired. 

“See what I mean? I'm drenched. Got an extra water?” 

Logan reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle and handed it to her. When she drank half of it then offered it back, he waved his hand. “Keep it.”

“Thanks.” She took another swig and watched him. “So, I'm gonna tell Mac and Wallace today. I was going to to call you later and invite you over, maybe take Clarence up on his offer to explain. I think once you hear it from him, you'll get it. I shouldn't talk about what I do. I mess it up.” She messed him up. She sighed and nodded. She pointed up the road. “I should get back. Shower. Come by around three. Please.”

Logan nodded and offered a small smile. “Ok, yea. I'll be there.” 

She grinned and bounced back, jogging in place for a bit. “I'll see you later. Enjoy your surf, Logan.” And she turned to run. Logan watched her and his heart twisted in his chest. He was so happy to see her again, and he had to admit she looked incredible, but that pesky job of hers just caused knots in his stomach. He turned and looked at the waves once she was out of sight and just sat on the beach for a while. 

Veronica made it back to Mac's and turned on the coffee maker. She was checking her phone when Mac walked in. She looked tired, but not as bad, or hungover, has she did yesterday. She smiled a bit at Veronica and sat at the table. She watched Veronica as she stood near the coffee maker, waiting for it to finish. She was flipping through her phone.

“Veronica?”

“Hmm?” She didn't look up.

“I can't do lunch today. I promised the Sinclairs I would go shopping with them. We'll probably have lunch and spend way too much on shoes.”

Veronica looked up and smiled. She knew that Mac had spent some time with her blood family since high school and was glad she enjoyed their company so much. “Ok, Mac, but think you might be back by three? Wallace is coming over and I have some stuff to tell you both.”

Mac nodded and offered a weak smile. “Coffee me, Mars.” 

Veronica looked at the full coffee pot and poured Mac a cup and placed it in front of her. She turned back and poured herself one, adding the necessary cream and sugar and sat down across from Mac. She was still looking at her phone. They sat in silence for a while, enough for the coffee to kick in for Mac and she got up and added more to her cup. She turned and leaned against the counter and watched her best friend.

“Mac, you can't read my mind, you will have to wait til three pm like Wallace.” She moved her finger across the screen, then typed something and looked at the results.

“Veronica, I have patience.” She took a sip of her coffee.

“Good. You are very virtuous.” Veronica smiled and looked up at her friend. “I have to go run some errands and stuff. Have a good lunch with Maddy!” She made a gag face as she stood up and put her empty coffee mug in the sink. She winked and walked upstairs. Mac watched her go, chuckling softly.

 

After a shower and some breakfast, Veronica checked the time. Already nine am. She checked her phone and called Troy.

“Hey, do me a favor.”

Troy laughed. “Did you tilt your head when you asked that?”

Veronica chuckled. “Shut up. I need you to ask around for that Molly thing. I don't think it was as simple as some clerical error, but nothing adds up.”

“It's your case. Why don't you look into it? Some of us have other cases to do.”

“Because I'm on a time-out. Please, Troy.”

“You got it, Roni. But you owe me some time with your-”

Veronica ended the call laughing. She didn't need to know what he was going to say. She'd bet it was some part of her body and that was enough to hang up on him. While he worked on the current issue, she was going to do some work on finding out what exactly happened to Molly Fitzpatrick. She knew that Molly had some page in the paper when she died. She decided that would be a good place to start. She drove to Gant Publishing in downtown Neptune.

 

“Mr. Gant will be with you in a moment, Miss Mars. You are extremely lucky. He normally doesn't take walk-ins.” The secretary was an older woman with an air of snobbery about her.

“Yea, I guess it's this week, with the reunion and everything. Maybe he just has a soft spot for Pirates.”

“Whatever you say, Miss Mars. Please, have a seat and I'll let you know when he is available.”

Veronica smirked and took a seat. She looked around the offices. They were painted in soft colors, with big plush couches and chairs and wood furniture. It felt like she was in a really big living room. 

After a few minutes, the snobertary beckoned to Veronica. She stood and walked past her, smiling sweetly and kept walking right into Casey's office. 

“Wow. You must be so rich.”

Casey laughed and walked towards her, hugging her. “Veronica Mars. I certainly didn't expect this. It's so great to see you. You look amazing!” He looked her up and down, appreciating her tight form. She was dressed in jeans, a simple tee shirt and sneakers.

“Thanks, Casey. You have aged well also. I was wondering if you could do me a small favor.”

Casey smirked. “Maybe. What do you need?” He leaned against the back of a lounging chair and looked at her. He certainly had kept his good looks. He filled out a bit, but not too much. He looked in shape.

“I heard Molly Fitzpatrick died a couple years ago. Since I'm back in town for school-related festivities and we went to school with her, I thought I would read up on what happened. Someone told me one of your papers did a piece on her, a full page thing. Do you remember?” Veronica stood in front of Casey, noticing he didn't offer her a seat or even a beverage. 

“Uh, yea.. I think I remember that. I can get you a copy if you want, maybe her obit too?” 

Veronica nodded. “That would be great.”

“One sec.” He moved to his desk and called his assistant. He asked the other person to print up the articles and bring them to his office as soon as possible. He hung up and looked at Veronica. “Shouldn't take too long. So, what have you been up to these days? I don't see you around since, well, since high school.” He grinned and had a smug look on his face.

“Oh, I travel a lot for work. Are you married? Have kids?” She was hoping if he was married, he would back off. Future mistresses don't usually ask about home life.

“Nope, none that I know of, at least.” He laughed and moved towards her. “Still single after all these years. I don't think I have found someone I can really trust, you know?” He reached her and gently put his hand on her arm, rubbing his thumb on her bicep. 

Veronica smiled and nodded. “Right, like gold-diggers and whatnot. I thought about marrying this one rich guy, but he just didn't have enough cash. Everything was always assets and investments. I can't enjoy a day at the spa on an IOU, right?” She laughed and moved towards some shelves filled with books. “Clients?”

Casey dropped his hand and nodded. “Yea, mostly.”

Veronica noticed he got the hint and smirked a bit to herself. She looked over the shelves, careful not to pose in an overly sexy way. She didn't see a reason to torture him. A few minutes pass and a barely legal assistant in a cheap suit panted at the door.

“Mr. Gant, I have those articles.” He gave a folder to Casey and, wiping sweat from his brow, looked over at Veronica. He gave a smirk and a head nod while looking her over. “Sup.”

Casey smirked and closed the door in his face before walking over to Veronica and handing her the folder, but he didn't let go when she grabbed it. “You and I should have dinner sometime. Catch up. Get to know each other again.”

Veronica smiled and waited for him to let go. “Sure, maybe, I mean, I'm so busy this week. I had no idea I was popular. I'm sure we'll see each other Saturday though.”

He let go and nodded. “Save me a dance?”

Veronica nodded. “Of course. Seems a dance is an even trade for a folder. Thanks, Casey.” 

He smiled and rushed to open the door to his office. He watched her get to the elevator and turn around. She gave a little wave as the doors closed.

By the time she reached the lobby, she had read the obituary and was starting on the tribute. Apparently, Molly Fitzpatrick was killed in the crossfire between Sorokin Mafia and the PCHers, a biker gang mostly of Latino men. She smirked as she got in her car. She was off to see one of her favorite ex-cons. 

 

“V!”

“Eli Navarro, a business owner and law-abiding citizen. I do not believe it!” Veronica was smiling as she walked into his garage. He had a couple mechanics working on some cars, but stopped when the petite blonde walked in. Eli was in a dress shirt and slacks, a clipboard in his hand.

“Well, I had to do something to keep the boredom at bay! Come give me a hug!” Eli scooped her up and hugged her. He hadn't seen her in years, but she had helped him out of a little jam the last time he saw her. “What brings you here?”

Veronica hugged her friend and smiled. “I'm hoping you can help me understand something. I don't know if you still have contact with some old associates, but- “

Eli waved his hand and motioned to his office. He offered her the clean chair and leaned against a filing cabinet. “I don't know, depends how old of intel you want.”

“A couple years ago. I'm looking into the death of Molly Fitzpatrick.”

“Oh, Molly. Yea, talk about a girl who couldn't wait to get away from her family name. Sadly, she would have been safer at home.”

Veronica nodded. “Know what happened? Why the PCHers shot at Sorokins?”

“Gang wars, turf invaded, drugs or guns jipped. I dunno the exact details, and PCHers won't talk much about it. Once asked Hector and he told me that it was none of my business.”

“She was at the club the Sorokins run, right?” 

Eli shrugged. “Yea, I heard a rumor that she wasn't supposed to be working that night. I don't keep up with the Sorokins too much. I am not interested in swimming with the fishes or concrete baths. V, these guys are serious.”

Veronica nodded. She looked at the picture of Molly in the tribute page. “The Fitzpatricks didn't disown her for getting with the Sorokins?”

“Nah, but I'm sure those potlucks were fun.”

“And bland. Russian and Irish food?” Veronica joked and smiled up at Eli. “Looks like I have my next stop to make. Thanks, Eli.”

“V, I hope you don't plan to go to the River Stix. I don't think you'll get a friendly welcome.”

“Eli, you are out of the loop. I went there yesterday and survived perfectly fine.” She stood up and hugged him again.

He held her tightly and whispered. “Careful, Veronica. Not all gangsters are forgiving.”

Veronica kissed his cheek and leaned back, smirking. “That is why you are my favorite. See ya Saturday.” She exited the office adjusting her clothes and checking her hair. She waved to the mechanics watching her with interest and sent a wink back at Eli who was merely smirking at her.


	9. Chapter 9

Deputy Leo glanced up from his desk and couldn't help but smirk. Veronica Mars stood at the counter with a pizza in hand. She wiggled her brows at him and he waved her over. She walked over to his desk and placed the pizza down.

“I thought this would get your attention. How's things, Deputy?”

“Very good, Veronica. No threats on my life today. Just my esophagus.” He nods to the pizza.

Veronica smirked and offered an antacid. “I heard you got old.”

Leo laughed and opened the box, taking a slice out. “Whatcha need, Veronica?”

“Just some information, nothing from any lockers or desks or even the fridge.”

Leo smirked and nodded. He chewed the bite in his mouth. “Shoot.”

Veronica picked up a piece and folded it in half at the crust before shoving a large bite into her mouth.

“I see you have been to New York.”

She grinned and chewed. “I'm curious what happened to Molly Fitzpatrick. I know she was caught in some gunfire at her family's club when they were fighting with the PCHers.” She took another bite, hoping Leo would help her fill in the blanks without her having to ask for all the details.

“Well, seems like you know what happened to Molly Fitzpatrick, Veronica.” Leo flashed his grin again and got up. He walked over to the fridge and pulled out two sodas and placed them on his desk. He opened one up and set it in front of Veronica before opening his own and gulping.

She nodded and thanked him for the soda. “Yes, but I heard she wasn't supposed to be there.”

Leo stopped chewing and shook his head. “She came in for a shift for someone else. He called in sick at the last minute and she went instead.” He took another bite.

Veronica thought for a minute before asking “So, tell me about the Sorokins.”

Leo grinned. He knew it was coming, but he didn't expect her to be so blunt about it. “There's a few of them, came in from the east coast. Family has been in the States for a couple generations. Russian, obviously. They deal in drugs, guns, women. They aren't good people. They are good at covering up their crimes or letting the underlings handle the penalties. I've never seen any of the actual family with any cop, let alone arrested or charged with a crime. They are clean and careful.”

Veronica chewed the rest of the piece and thought things over. “Unlike the Fitzpatricks. So, who leads the Russian Mob?”

Leo tilted his head at Veronica and debated telling her more. “Guy in charge this side of the country is a kid about your age, Gorya Sorokin. He's got a quick temper and a sick streak. Rumors about his perverted and bizarre sex life make it our way, but we have nothing to book him on. I've had the pleasure of meeting him a couple times. He's a cocky brat with deep pockets and amazing lawyers. He's got a little brother. Kazimir graduates next year. We don't know much more on him.” Leo watched her take this information in and had a thought. She was connected, somehow, but this showed him that she wasn't part of the mafia wars. 

A hand reached over his desk and grabbed a piece of pizza. Leo and Veronica looked up and saw Sheriff Lamb chomping away. “Thanks for lunch, Mars. Was this a thank you for having you over yesterday?”

“Maybe. Or maybe the cyanide will expose my wrath.” She stood up and grinned wide to Lamb before looking to Leo. “A casualty of war, I'm afraid.”

Leo chuckled and kept eating his slice.

Veronica smiled at Leo. “Thanks for the info. See? Not like old times at all. Walking out with even less than I came in with. No files, no keys.” She smirked and looked at Lamb. 

Leo leaned back in his chair and waved to her. “See ya later, Veronica.” He watched her turn and leave before looking up at Lamb. “Need something?”

Lamb picked up the pizza box and carried it into his office, closing the door behind him.

 

Veronica noticed it was almost two and she had yet to call Clarence. She gave him a ring and waited for him to pick up.

“You are on suspension, Mars. Why are you digging?”

“Clarence, I am going to take you up on your offer to help me out. Can you be at Mac's in an hour?”

“Veronica, this is late notice. I am in the the middle of a meeting.”

“Tell Jake I said hi and I'll see you soon!” She hung up and grinned. He hadn't turned her down so she was sure he would be there. Now, she just needed to figure out what to say.

 

Veronica decided to let that issue work itself out in the back of her mind while she worked on the Sorokins. She was sure they would dismiss her inquiries, but she showed up at the Sorokin Manor just the same. She was frisked by a muscle-bound man while another looked through her bag. She was deemed worthy to enter, as she left her toys in the car. She was waiting in a sitting room before a teenager came in. She smiled a bit at him and he nodded and licked his lips. She didn't drop the smile but merely turned away. The teenager chuckled and walked inside, plopping down on the couch, putting his sneakers up on the cushion. 

“Who are you?” He asked in a casual manner. 

“Veronica Mars. You?”

“Kaz. You single?” He was looking at her breasts as if he could see them through her clothing.

“I'm not available. Do you remember Molly?”

“Yea, she was married to my cousin. Nice girl. Tough breaks. You ever do any modeling?”

“Which cousin, Kaz? And no, never modeled.”

“Oh, damn, girl. You could. You're hot. Wanna go to my room?” He turned and laid on his side, looking over to her, smiling.

“No thanks. Which cousin?” She was amused by this teenager's flirtations, but had no intention of going to his bedroom to do whatever he was thinking. 

“Yury.” The voice who answered had a much deeper tone than Kaz's. Veronica turned and saw a man standing at the entrance to the room. He was dressed in business attire. He was tall and had short blonde hair and deep blue eyes. He was attractive and carried himself in a way that showed he was used to power.

“Ah, you must be Gorya Sorokin!” She stood and reached out a hand for him to shake. “I know it's probably not common for people to show up to ask you questions, but I really appreciate you taking the time to chat. Molly was a friend in high school.”

“Friends call me Gory.” Gory took her hand and shook it, but held onto it, watching her. He appraised her, noting her physique and beauty. “Not common? Why would that be?”

Veronica let him hold her hand and grinned. “Well, I don't usually have people showing up at my house on a daily basis. Unless I'm having a viewing party for iZombie. I love that show! So funny and quirky!” Veronica wasn't quite using her old “Amber” personality, but she did seem rather chipper. “Have you seen it?”

Gory shook his head and released her hand. “No, I'm not one for TV, Miss Mars. If you don't mind, I thought we could chat in my office.” He gestured down the hall and once she walked that way, he had her turn into a large room with a large desk. He offered her a chair and took the one next to her. “Care for a drink? Coffee? Water? Something stronger?”

Veronica smiled and shook her head. “Oh no, thank you, Mr. Sorokin. I don't expect to be here that long. 

Gory nodded and folded his hands in his lap. “What can I help you with then?”

“I was in high school with Molly. I came back this week.” Veronica leaned in a bit. “It's our ten year reunion.” And leaned back. “And I heard she passed away. I wanted to first find out what happened to her and secondly, offer my late condolences.” Veronica spoke in a calm tone. This was easy for her. She had a way with words and tone.

“Molly married Yury maybe eight years ago. Yury is the same age as you and Molly, but went to private school. They met at college, not that Molly went. She was at some party and Yury was smitten.” Gory's tone was soft, gentle. He apparently liked Molly, or really liked his cousin. “They dated a couple years, much to the aggravation of her family, and married. They talked about having kids, but never got around to it, I guess.” He looked away for a moment, but Veronica caught it. She was silent, giving him a second to catch his thoughts. “Yury was inconsolable after she was shot.”

“I bet. Do you know what happened the night she was shot? I heard she wasn't even supposed to be at work that night.” Veronica was careful not to mention the killers or any wrongdoings of the Sorokins.

“No idea why she was called in. She had the night off and had talked about making Yury some romantic dinner the weekend before. But then she went to work and got shot.”

“Did they ever catch who shot her? Or find out why she was shot? I mean, seems a little odd for someone to bust in and just shoot her, right?” She didn't know exactly what happened, but she doubted it was that. By throwing an oddball theory his way, maybe he would correct her.

“She was shot outside by some bikers.”

“Bikers? Really? Well, we used to have a biker gang who went to Neptune High. PCHers, I think they were called. 

“That's the group. Didn't have any trouble from them before or after. No idea why they took Molly from us.” 

“What makes you so sure it was them? I mean, they were into minor crimes when I knew them.” She held her breath at the last bit. She was hoping he wouldn't jump to conclusions.

“You used to be a biker?” He looked her up and down. “Look a little pale to be in a Mexican gang.”

Veronica laughed and nodded. “Oh, I wasn't in the gang! Oh, what a thought that is! No, I went to school with a lot of them.” 

Gory reached over and gently touched her arm. Veronica tried her best not to wince. “I'm joking. I'm sorry, my humor is perhaps a little dry.”

Veronica smiled and nodded. “Oh, I see!” She laughed. 

Gory stood up and gestured to the door. “Is that all you needed, Miss Mars?”

Veronica got up and smiled, nodding. “Yes, I think I have a better understanding of what happened to my friend. Thank you, Mr. Sorokin. I'll get out of your hair.”

Gory lead her to the door. He quickly reached up and grabbed her by the throat. Turning, he pushed her up against the closed door and squeezed on her throat while looking down at her. Veronica gasped and grunted as her back hit the door and blinked up at him, still playing the normal twenty-eight year old.

“I don't appreciate hoodlum rats digging around, Veronica. I don't like people coming in and assuming I'm not up to date on them.” He leaned in and spoke against her cheek. “I know you went to River Stix and waved some guns around. It's smart not to do that here.”

Veronica's eyes widened and adrenaline pumped through her. She thought quickly how she could fight her way out of this, but decided to let him think he has the upper hand. “I was in the top of my class at Neptune High.” She was smiling and Gory leaned back to see. He lifted a brow and squeezed harder around her throat.

“I only like cute girls when they are on their backs, Veronica. Listen close, I'm only going to say this once and there's a lot to take in. Ready?” He waited for her to nod, which she did and loosened his grip just enough she could breathe. “I didn't have Molly killed. I liked her. I don't even think the PCHers did it out of vengeance. I don't know why they would. If you want to poke in some family's business, I suggest you take bigger guns when you go back to the River Stix.” He looked down at her and licked his lips. “Now that business is out of the way... 

Veronica was deep in thought though. She snapped back when he pulled her away from the door and slammed her back into it. She was pretty sure little cartoon birds were circling her head. She blinked and focused on him again. “Ow.”

Gory smirked and nodded. “I like you, Veronica. I think you have guts. Bonus, you can take a hit. What are you doing for dinner?” He caressed her chin with his free hand.

“I have plans. I need to go, actually. I might be late as it is. Do you mind?” She looked down to his hand on her throat and then back up to his face.

He let her go and dropped from her tip toes. She hadn't realized he was holding her up that much. She reached back and touched her head. She winced and brought back a bloody fingers. She glared at Gory. “I would apologize if I felt bad. Now, you'll think of me later.” He gently guided her out the door and to her car. He opened the driver's side door and once she slid inside, he closed it. He stepped back and watched her drive down the path. 

He went inside and back to his office. He yelled for a maid to clean up the bit of blood on the door while he picked up the phone. 

“Yury, it's Gory. I just had the weirdest meeting.”


	10. Chapter 10

Veronica cursed as she held a rag to the back of her head and drove. She was speeding but was on the lookout for cops. She was going away from the hospital and doubted she could use that as an excuse to get out of the ticket. She squealed her tires as she turned down Mac's road. “Crap.” Everyone seemed to be there already.

“Sorry guys! I got held up.” She came in the door and blinked as all five of them blinked up at her. She was still holding the rag to her head.

“My god! What happened? Are you ok?” Logan jumped up and went to look at her injury while Clarence and Troy gave questioning looks. 

Veronica nodded to them. “I”m fine! Really, stop. Logan!” 

He was turning her head to get a better look at her injury. “How did this happen?”

“Uh, ran into a door. So, what did I miss?”

Troy laughed and went to his car to get the med-kit. Clarence looked over Logan's sinking shoulders to check her out, but moved away when Troy came back in. Wallace and Mac frowned at their friend.

“Veronica, this isn't helping us not to be worried.” Mac spoke in her disappointed tone.

Clarence put a hand on Mac's shoulder. “I'm not sure I can help with your worry, but I have been asked here for a reason. Shall we?” He motions to the living room and Mac and Wallace walk in. Clarence looks to Logan. “Mr. Echolls? I think you will want to hear some of this too.”

Troy came back in and turned Veronica so the back of her head was facing him, making Veronica face Logan. She reached up and grabbed his hand and nodded.

“Logan, go, listen. Troy will make sure I'm fine, which I am. It's nothing. Please.” She spoke softly, but with that tone that Logan remembered as her 'my way' tone. He nodded and leaned in, kissing her on the forehead and then walked past Clarence. 

Clarence nodded to Veronica and squeezed her arm once before turning and walking into the living room. He closed the french doors behind him.

Veronica let out a sigh as Troy began to sew her up.

 

Clarence watched as Mac and Wallace sat on the couch and Logan dropped into a chair. He remained standing. “I know Mr. Echolls knows what Veronica does now, but he doesn't know what happened. Not really. I'm here today to let all of you, her closest friends, in on her biggest secret. I'm sure once I'm done telling you, we can continue to trust you won't go and tell anyone else, including her father. This is important to Veronica, which means it should be important to us.”

Mac nodded and took a deep breath. Wallace looks from Logan to Clarence with a brow raised but once Clarence finishes talking, he nods once and says “Alright”. Logan remains still and silent.

“Good.” He reaches behind his back and for a second, Logan thinks he's going to pull out a gun and shoot them all. But he doesn't. He pulls a black leather case and opens it. He hands it to Logan and gestures to pass it along to those on the couch. “This is a badge given to me by the US government. I am a current member of the armed forces, as you can see by the expiration date. I lead a small team of agents, assigning missions for them and offering assistance if needed. I am telling you this not because I want to show off, but to add some substance to my story I'm about to tell. Veronica is one of my agents. She does many things for me.” He looks to the french doors and smirks. “She's supposed to be off the clock due to some issues this weekend, but by the look of that head wound today, I'm guessing she's still working a case.”

“So, she still is a detective? Why wouldn't she tell us that?” Mac asked. She handed the badge back to Clarence.

“Also, she was known to make very believable IDs in high school. How do we know she didn't make that one for you?” Wallace asked. Her skill with a color printer and laminator were legendary at Neptune High.

“Veronica could have made this, but she didn't. It's legit and I offer you to call and confirm it. But Veronica was just arrested Saturday and released with charges dropped after a single phone call. I know the Governor called Sheriff Lamb personally to order he release her. I can assure you, this badge is very real. As for her being a detective still?” Clarence turned to Mac. “She is. But her missions are a variety of directives.”

“She kills people.” Logan spoke quietly. When they turned to look at him, he looked to Clarence. “Sugar coating doesn't change that.”

“Oh my god! Is that true?” Mac blinked up at Clarence.

He nodded. “It's true, but it's not as if she is a serial murderer. She's a highly trained agent for the government.”

“How in the world did she become some black ops secret agent?” Wallace voice wavered between hurt and pride. He was a little proud to know she was kicking ass and taking names out there. He was also thrilled he didn't have to beat up some dumb ass who hit her. 

“That, Mr. Fennel, is a long story. It started at the Neptune Grand Hotel.” Clarence looked to Logan a moment, before looking back to the wide-eyed couple on the couch.

 

“Ow, Troy! I have a skull you keep poking!” Veronica winced and grunted as she took a second to recover from Troy's attempt at stitches.

“Sorry, Roni! I'm trying. You got some much hair, it's hard to see. Can we just shave this little spot? No one will notice. You can put your hair in braids for a while. It'll be cute.” He was teasing her, but it calmed her down and she relaxed a bit. He continued the stitches. “So, tell me who did this.”

“You won't like it.” She paused and played with the bloody rag in her hands. “Think they will still like me when they walk out of there? Think I should go pack up my bag?”

“Fuck, Roni. Don't tell me you went to the River Stix again.” He bit the bloody thread off and washed the needle before putting it back in the med kit.

“Um, no. I didn't go there. I think I need to though. No, I went to see some people, who lead me to some more people, who lead me to Gory Sorokin.”

“You went to the Russian mob without backup?” Troy turned her around and for the first time, noticed the marks on her neck. She was getting a bruise that looked like a hand print around the front of her neck. “Roni...” He touched her neck softly and she winced a bit.

“I'm alive. Don't worry so much.” She tapped his cheek a couple times and stood up. She felt a little woozy. Blood lose, adrenaline, nerves of what was happening in the other room. She wasn't surprised. She opened the refrigerator and got some juice out. Troy handed her a cup from the cupboard and she poured a small glass. Sipping it slowly, she watched him and the French doors. “How much will they hate me?”

“Probably less than they hate me. You missed it when I showed up with Clarence. Wallace gave me a handshake, but I'm surprised Mac let me in. She's really protective of you. Did you tell her we were cool before you graduated?” He chuckled a bit and pulled out a chair, placing Veronica into it. He threw the rag and other bloody things into the trash and cleaned up the blood.

“He's gonna tell them about Cassidy. He's gonna pop their innocent bubbles of me.”

Troy knelt in front of her and blocked her view of the door. “They adore you. All of them. You have nothing to be worried about except maybe a minor concussion. Your eyes are dilated a bit.”

She waved him away like he was a gnat and sighed. She sipped her juice and looked at the doors. Troy sat in another chair and tapped the table lightly. “So, what about Molly? What did you discover?”

She turned and looked at him. “I don't know what you are talking about.”

“You went to see the family, by marriage, of the girl we were ordered to kill who was already killed and you have nothing to say? Do I look like an idiot?”

“Well, hmmm....” She tilted her head a bit.

“Roni.” He showed concern with some impatience and irritability.

“I'm working some theories out. I don't have anything solid yet.” Her eyes moved back to the doors. “Think I should pop my head in? Maybe offer beverages?”

“Roni, you sit. What did Gory have to say other than a choke hold?”

“He asked me out on a date.” She smirked.

Troy sighed and leaned back in the chair. “Careful, Mars. You'll make me jealous.”


	11. Chapter 11

Mac fell back against the back of the couch and Wallace blinked up at Clarence. He had just told them the story of the roof at Neptune Grand Hotel the night of graduation. Logan, of course, knew that part of the story and nodded to them once Clarence told it. 

“But, she didn't seem different. She seemed really happy, actually.” Wallace spoke first.

“She was happy to survive it, I thought. She was upset that night, but once her dad was ok, she only grieved for me and maybe Dick... for Cassidy's suicide... or whatever.” Mac was still working things out in her head. She saw her immediately after. Logan was quiet that night, Veronica was supportive of her. 

Clarence started again. “After she went to New York with her father, I got a call from her. Something in her life had changed and she was willing to let me mentor her.”

Logan watched carefully. He knew what changed in Veronica's life. He was the reason she went to Clarence and chose this life. His heart ached and he felt sick to his stomach. His breathing picked up a bit.

“I put her in a training camp while she told you and her father she was going to college on the east coast. Veronica lied to keep the safety of the camp and the people there. She trained for three years and as you all know, she's gifted. She excelled at marksmanship and hand-to-hand combat.” He paused and looked at the three. Logan looked pale and a bit sweaty, but the other two seemed to be handling the news alright. He looked to Logan. “Need a moment, Mr. Echolls? I can understand this is a huge thing to process when it's someone you knew so well.”

Logan nodded. He jumped up and open the french doors. He looked at Veronica for only a moment before he turned and walked outside. He walked a couple steps then fell to his knees and puked in Mac's front yard. 

Veronica watched him exit and walked to the door. She turned and looked back at Clarence and glared at him, but Mac and Wallace seemed to look a little confused. So maybe it wasn't Clarence who upset him. She got a wet paper towel and walked out to meet him. She stood behind him and once he finished, she handed him the paper towel. He wiped his mouth and hands and knelt there, silent.

“Logan, are you ok?”

He didn't answer at first. He was still. She walked to the side and saw him blinking. “I did this.”

Veronica smirked. She knew he didn't mean the puke, but it was the first thing to come up. She grinned and then straightened her face. “Did what?”

“Made you turn to this life. Made you a killer.” He spoke softly. 

“Logan, I killed Cassidy against your wishes. You didn't make me into anything.” She knelt beside him and rubbed his back.

He looked to her, tears in his eyes. “I dismissed you after New York. I gave up on us. I gave up on you. I forced you to turn to that asshole and he took advantage of you and now... now you do this”

Veronica sighed and rose to her feet. She helped Logan to his feet and turned him to face her. “I chose this because it was something I realized I could do and be ok. I'm not ok with randomly killing innocent people. But people who are horrible? Yea, I can do that. And as I trained, I realized I was good at it. But, my story isn't done. That asshole, who has saved my life a couple times, has more to tell you. Please, go back in, sit down, listen. I promise, I'll still be on the other side of the doors, still breathing, still caring about you. Will you let Clarence finish the story?”

Logan wiped away a tear and looked down at her. He grabbed her by the cheeks and kissed her forehead before bringing her in for a huge hug. After a moment, he released her and walked back inside. Veronica followed and watched him sit.

“Anyone need anything while I'm here? Water? Crossword puzzle?” She smiled.

Wallace shook his head. “Nah, I'm fine. This is deep though.”

Mac blurted out. “You killed my boyfriend.” But she didn't seem upset. 

Veronica blinked and watched her. “Yes. I did.”

Mac looked at her and finally nodded once. “Thanks.”

“Welcome.”

“I could use some water.” Clarence spoke.

“Righto!” She popped in the kitchen, filled a glass and walked over to him. She handed him the water and turned around. As she was closing the door, she noticed Clarence set the water in front of Logan.

“He ok?” Troy asked as Veronica sat back at the table.

“Not even close. I wish he could see that I'm ok. I'm not damaged.” She slouched in the chair.

“You have four stitches in your scalp.” Troy smirked.

“Shut up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this was a short chapter. I'm sorry, it's the way of the muse. Next one is normal size again.


	12. Chapter 12

Clarence glossed over Veronica's first mission. It was to kill a corrupt ambassador in the Middle East. She had struggled a bit, just from being alone. Clarence was there on com-links to talk to her, but she had no physical backup or an extraction team. It was a test and she passed. She became an agent when she got back. 

Clarence told the trio about her basic mission output. She did a mission a week, usually alone. Sometimes, she worked with people who trained with her, giving her a sense of a team, but they often worked alone too. He didn't go into detail about any of the missions, but told them that not all of them were assassinations. She was trained to do espionage, thievery or merely reconnaissance. 

“A couple of you saw the scar on her shoulder. I can't tell you the particulars, but I can say this. I was her backup and I was outside, watching for someone. I heard her fighting a guy inside the warehouse, but she sounded like she was doing more punching than being punched. She really is a skilled fighter.” He paused to see Mac's attention was perked and Logan's attention shifted to the floor.  
“She got hit once, then another time. Before I could realize there were two of them hitting her, she was overcome. I came inside the warehouse to see one of them stabbing a pretty ugly looking knife into her back as the other held her up by her wrists.” He paused again. He let them breathe, to settle. He hoped they remembered she survived this attack, and more like it. “I shot the one wielding the knife first. He dropped to the floor and the one holding Veronica dropped her to reach for his gun. He didn't make it out of the holster before I shot him between the eyes. I got Veronica to a medical facility and she was fine.” He added that she spent six months in physical therapy and worked from the base as a support agent. She handled surveillance and technical support for agents in the field. She also helped him train newer agents and plan missions. 

Mac seemed like a piece of the puzzle finally fit and nodded silently to herself. Wallace, the only one who hadn't seen the scar but had heard of it, spoke softly. “So weird hearing about her being so hurt.” 

Logan looked over to Wallace and nodded, but didn't say anything. He had more to the story she told him before and while it didn't exactly contradict what she said, she left out the rehab. 

Clarence nodded to Wallace as well. “She was hurt. It wasn't fun. But she recovered. Most agents get hurt at some point in their careers. They put themselves in very dangerous situations. They are trained for those situations, and go in with a plan on how to succeed in their objectives. But plans can fall apart in a blink of an eye. That's when people get hurt. Veronica is very good at what she does. She's been on thousands of missions and most of the time, she comes back with nothing more than a bruise or two. This time was different. I'm glad I was there to save her, though.”

“Me too, Mr. Wiedman.” Wallace said. 

 

Troy watched Veronica. “It's good that they aren't rushing out of that room. How far do you think Clarence is in the Life of Roni?”

“Don't know. Waiting for your cameo?” She smirked and checked the time. It was close to dinner. She was starving but wasn't sure they would have much of an appetite when they were done.

“Pfft. Cameo.” Troy rolled his eyes. “I have a staring role, baby! I'm your partner in crime.” He points to himself . “Jake” He points to Veronica. “The fat man.” He grinned wide.

Veronica couldn't help but laugh and nod. “Supporting role is my final offer. You are like the pesky best fiend to the lead who is only there for comedy.”

“That stings, Mars. I thought we were cool. I thought we were tight!” He puts his hand over his heart.

Veronica laughed and stood up. She walked closer to the French doors and watched them. She couldn't just use x-ray vision to see inside. She knew she couldn't lean against the door to hear them. They would see her though the opaque curtains. She sighed and walked back to the kitchen. “Hungry?”

“A little. I can wait though. I am not the bottomless pit. That's you.”

“I work out a lot. I need fuel.” She turned and started poking through cupboards. “It's all kale chips and nuts and berries. Damn it, Mac. Why couldn't you have real food?”

 

“So, when did Troy come into the picture? She hasn't mentioned him since senior year.” Mac adjusted a bit on the couch, pulling a throw blanket over her bare feet which were now up on the couch. Wallace helped her adjust it.

“Sorry. I'm trained by the wife now.” He pulled his hands away and smiled. 

“Agent Vandergraff was recruited separately. I'm not sure what happened to get him into this service, but he was at the same place at the same time as Veronica. They even has the same objective. They did the mission and she brought him back to me.”

“Like a stray dog.” Logan spoke up.

Clarence smirked. “Something like that. Troy is very skilled though. He and Veronica have been partners for a long time now. I asked him to join when I saw how well they worked together. They push each other, in training, in the field. It's a good partnership.” Clarence looks down, lost in a sad thought for a moment.

“Mr. Wiedman, what is it?” Mac asked.

Clarence looked up and smiled. “You know Veronica would do anything for you people, right?”

Mac and Wallace nodded. Logan didn't move, but kept his eyes on Clarence.

“Veronica had gotten sick, some type of flu. It wasn't serious, but it kept her off missions for a week or so. Troy saw an opportunity to handle a mission and didn't want to let it slip by. He went on his own.”

Mac tilted her head. “Was that uncommon? Working alone?”

“At that point, it was, but only because they enjoyed working together. But both of them were qualified to work solo missions so I didn't see a problem with Troy handling it alone. I authorized it and he went. Long story short, he was captured and tortured. Veronica searched for him for five months. She finds him. She handles the situation and brings him home.” Clarence didn't specify what she did, but didn't think he could tell them she killed several dozen men in a less than an hour, including a high ranking foreign government official. They all seemed too fragile to it still. He looked to Logan. “He was treated for his wounds and Veronica didn't leave him alone for nearly four months. She helped nurse him back to health. He soon rejoined her in the field. It certainly brought them closer than ever.”

Logan watched him. Of course, now he only sees Veronica in Troy's arms, in his bed, bandaging him.

Wallace broke his thoughts. “Is that why Troy is here? Are they on a mission?”

Clarence looked to Wallace. “They were. A few months ago, the two of them requested a change. They wanted their home base to be here in Neptune. They wanted to be closer to you guys and family. There was a mission but it's been deemed unavailable.”

“Wait a minute. Why did someone hurt Veronica if there isn't a mission?” Mac asked.

Clarence opened his mouth to talk, but it was Wallace who answered. “Because it's Veronica. She's on a case.” He smirked to Mac.

 

Veronica had moved to the table again. She had found something that looked like granola and had laid it out on the table. She picked through it, looking for the tasty bits.

“You look like a gorilla picking ticks off their young.” Troy watched, amused.

“You look like an jerk who won't go get me real food. I have a head injury. I can't drive!”

“Uh, you drove here.”

“I lost a lot of blood on the way.” She popped a dried cranberry in her mouth.

“And I'm just supposed to leave an injured colleague alone while I go to the closest fast food restaurant?” 

“I'm not alone! I have four people in there.” She points to the Cursed French Doors.

“They are trapped though, sucked into a hell dimension.” 

“I think they might be.” She pushed the rest of the pile of nuts and oats towards the center of the table. “I don't know what I will do if they don't like me when they walk out.”

“Whoa. Roni, it'll be ok. I'm sure they will accept you. I did.”

“You do the same thing as me.” She sighed.

“It's not who they expected you to be, but they expected me to be a drug-dealing loser. I changed. You did too. I'm sure they all changed also.”

“Not really. Mac still works with computers. Wallace still dribbles a basketball and plays with model planes. Logan still looks freaking hot and makes me want to hug him.”

“Um.” He paused and tilted his head at her. “Hug?”

“And screw, but right now he's hurting, so mostly hug.”

“What does Logan do anyway?”

“Surfs.” Veronica looked up at Troy. “I don't even know if he works.” Her eyes widened. 

“What?”

“What if he's a cop? Or in the mafia?”

Troy laughed. “I think he would be ok with what you do if he were either of those things.”

“What if he's a priest?”

Troy laughed loudly, then quickly hushed as he was sure the other room could hear that. “Logan Echolls, a man of the cloth?”

“Think about it! He hasn't groped me and he has had such a rough time with this whole thing.”

“Maybe he's just still in love with you.”

“Don't be logical! I'm trying to have an epiphany!”

 

The four people in the living room turned towards the loud laugh that came through the door. “Sounds like they aren't too stressed about what happens in here.” Logan spoke. He sounded a bit bitter, hurt, and jealous.

“Oh, they both care quite a bit, Mr. Echolls. Troy asked that I come here and offer a softer truth than what you experienced earlier. I am quite sorry for the way I handled myself before. I wasn't expecting a visitor in our secret government base.” Clarence smiled a bit at Logan. “When I offered to do this to Veronica, she agreed and asked that her other closest friends join you.” He looked to Mac and Wallace and smiled. “Anyone have questions?”

“Who sends you the missions?” Mac asked first.

“I can't answer that. Classified.”

“Oh, yea.” Mac smiled a bit.

“If she wanted out, how hard would it be to exit the team?” It was Logan.

“Not hard at all. She would be debriefed and then allowed to leave. She's not a prisoner or a slave. She's an employee. She can quit at any time.” Clarence responded.

“How well is she paid?” Wallace pouted a bit. “I ask because last Christmas, she got her dad this amazing blu-ray set, and I got a book. Did she run out of money?”

Clarence chuckled. “She's paid very well. I think she just thought you would enjoy the book.”

“Does she have enough to retire?” Logan again.

“I'm not sure of her finances, Mr. Echolls. She's paid well so she isn't tempted to turn on her government. I would think if she wanted to retire, she could. She hasn't spoken of it though.”

“Is she trained to do anything that would benefit her in a civilian setting?” Mac asked.

“I think you know she could be a private investigator again. She's good with computers. She could easily be a security specialist. She was quick to pick up the skills for this profession. I'm sure she could do anything she wanted if she decided this wasn't for her anymore. But I must say, she is very talented in this field and I would hate to see her go. I would try to talk her into staying. I think she likes this work too. We do things that the government can't publicly get behind. We take out bad people. We do the things no one wants to do, but the world is a better place because of what we do.” 

The three twenty-eight year olds nodded. Clarence looked at them, reading them. Mac and Wallace were ok. They were past the shock, making jokes and being calm. Logan clearly hated Veronica's job. He clearly hated Clarence for bringing Veronica into it. But as far as Clarence could tell, Logan had come to terms with it. Clarence shook all their hands and opened the French doors, letting them all walk out before him.


	13. Chapter 13

Veronica stood up as the group exited the living room. Wallace and Mac were the first ones out. Wallace went to Veronica and gave her a long, tight hug. Mac came around from the other side and hugged them both. Veronica grinned widely and cooed at the best friend sandwich. 

“If only Wallace move out of the shot, I could totally use this in the spank bank.” Troy smirked and winced as Clarence slapped his shoulder. He looked up, still smiling a bit and shrugged. 

Wallace reached around and hugged Mac, squishing Veronica between them. They ended up giggling and the hug broke apart. 

Veronica looked up at Clarence and gave him a smile. She mouthed the words 'thank you' and he merely nodded back. He tilted his head towards Logan subtly. “I should get going. I think you all should talk, get reconnected. I have some work to do that I was pulled from.” He glares at Veronica a moment before smiling just the slightest bit. Mac walks him to the door and shows him out.

Veronica went to Logan and looked up at him. He looked older, but right now, he still had that teenage uncertainty to him. She looked at his hands, now hidden under the cuffs of his sleeves. She grabbed one and turned, walking out the back door. She closed the door behind her and looked up at him. “I'm sorry.”

Logan chuckled a bit, turning around as he thought a moment, then turned back at her. “I am the one who should be apologizing. I didn't get it, Veronica. I thought we were this united force who agreed on all the important things and when something really big happened, I pushed you out into the cold. I made it ok for you to do what you do. I made you this.”

Veronica listened to him, remaining calm and walked to him. She put a hand on his cheek. Her eyes were soft, her voice gentle. “I am this because I made choices. I chose not to fight for you, for us. I could have gone to your bedroom door and begged you not to abandon me, but I chose to leave.”

“Abandon... good word. I have been so worried about you for ten years, Veronica, scared that you were out there, broken, because of me.” He was getting tears in his dark eyes.

“Logan, I am not broken. We were broken. We didn't work anymore and you were right.” 

Logan thought about what he had said that day. He spent his nights thinking about it over and over. “I think we were epic. I was such a freaking idiot.”

Troy popped his head out the door and grinned wide at the two of them. “Aww. Kiss and make up. Also, we're ordering takeout. Want food?” He was asking both of them, but was looking at Veronica.

Veronica looked up at Logan and turned to Troy. “Order a couple things I would like. I'm sure Logan will eat once there's food in front of him.”

“Oki doki!” And he disappeared back into the house.

“Logan, I'm here. I'm available for questions or comments, hell, even concerns. Now that you know everything, I'm better equipped to talk.” She took his hands in hers again and just held them between the two of them.

Logan looked down at her hands and squeezed hers a bit. He looked up, calmer now. “Do you like to do this type of work?” His voice was weak, struggling over the words a bit.

“I enjoy the outcome, the safer world. I don't get some sick happiness high over killing people, but I like making a real difference.”

“Does Troy get the sick happiness high?”

Veronica smiled. “I don't think he's quite that bad.”

“Did you date him again?”

Veronica sighed and Logan let go of her hands. 

“Are you dating him now?” His voice had more to it, a bit of anger added to the strength.

“No, of course not.” She looked up at him and sighed again. “He's very special to me, Logan.”

“Have you and he had sex?”

“Not that it's any of your business, but no. Troy and I are very close. It's like a weird brother/sister type of relationship with incestuous overtones.”

“Didn't you already have one of those?” He cursed under his breath when he said it. He knew it was unfair, but his emotions were all over the place today. “Sorry. Ignore that.”

“Troy and I have never had sex. He hurt me once, Logan. I think you could learn something from him.” She turned and walked back in the house. She left the door open, but went to join the other people inside. 

Logan walked in after her.

 

The five friends ate and laughed over some of the things that had happened in the last ten years. As dinner was winding down, Wallace made a comment. “I remember at my wedding, we were trying to find you for pictures. It was like looking for Waldo!” He was laughing with Mac and Troy, but Veronica looked over and Logan was staring at her.

“You were at his wedding?” He was pissed.

“He's my step-brother. I was there.” Veronica was holding her own. 

Troy whistled and stood, clearing some plates and takeout containers. “I'll just move these out of reach of the deadly assassin.” Mac grinned a bit and helped. Wallace excused himself to call his wife and check on her.

“I was at his wedding.” Logan was still pissed.

“I know.” Veronica still calm. She popped her last bite into her mouth and handed Troy her plate with a knowing smile on her face. 

“How did I not see you?”

“Trained to be unseen. I dodged you.” 

“Why?”

Veronica stopped and thought for a moment. It's been so long since she thought about why she avoided him. “Out of habit, mostly. I didn't want to have some awkward, confusing, untruthful conversation at my brother's wedding. I wanted to enjoy the day, as much as I could.”

“Untruthful?” He was less pissed and more confused.

“Like, you ask me where I've been, I tell you some location. You ask me what I've been doing, tell you some lie like business consulting. You tell me I look nice, I tell you that you look the same. That type of thing.”

“I don't look the same?”

Veronica took a deep breath and looked him over. She opened her mouth to respond then closed it. Mac leaned in to Logan. “Dude. You look amazing. Don't put her on the spot like that.” Mac turned and winked at Veronica who smiled at her friend.

Logan calmed a bit. “So, you didn't want to have a conversation that would have been a hell of a lot easier than the one we had in that warehouse?”

Veronica was quiet. She stood up and pushed her chair in and turned and walked towards the family room and plopped down on a large, plush couch, letting out a very audible sigh.

When Logan looked to Troy, Troy shook his head. “Dude. You are so blind.” 

“What do you mean? 

“She can't lie to you. She can lie to anyone else, even her dad. But not you. She didn't want to run into you because she didn't want you to know. She thought you would reject her again. She thought one kill was more than enough to push you away, what would” He mumbles over a number that had to be at least four digits long “do to you?” Troy leaned on the back of the chair Veronica had been sitting in and looked right at him. “So, when you are tearing her down, judging her for keeping this from you, or doing it at all, keep in mind she does it all for you, for her friends, for her family. She doesn't do any of this for herself.” 

Wallace had rejoined the group in the kitchen and heard the last bit and looked to Mac. Troy looks up at them. “She hated hiding it from all of you. It ate her up. She would come back here for visits and feel like she was eighteen again, before Cassidy.” He turns and looks at Logan. “Hell, before Lilly. Then, she would come home and cry. I would hold her, rocking her, soothing her because you couldn't. Now, you want to come in her and judge her? She did the best thing she could do in her situation. She became a better person. And she's so freaking amazing at it all. She is spectacular in the field.” He turns to Wallace and Mac. “You guys know how skilled she is at problem solving. She's is so quick on her feet and witty and so amazingly brave. She saved my ass more than a few times, and that was even before we became partners.” He turned to Logan. “And stop thinking I screw her on the regular. I meant what I said. She doesn't let me touch her like that. We joke around, but I'm not even sure I could really do it at this point. I actually respect that little blonde bombshell.” He was smiling and stood. He turned and walked over to where Veronica was sitting and plopped next to her.

Veronica wiped away a couple tears and Troy offered his shirt sleeve. She shook her head and rested it on his shoulder. “Thanks.” Her voice was so hallow, so weak and soft.

“I'm gonna suggest we play a game and lighten this party up. Get your game face on, Mars. We are on a mission to have fun!” He whispered loudly. He kissed her head and moved out from under it. He stood up and jumped up on the couch, his arms wide open. “Anyone want to play monopoly?” 

Veronica bounced on the couch as he jumped on it and giggled. Mac gasped and grinned and walked over to the coat closet and gestured like Vanna White over her collection of board games. Wallace finished clearing the table and clean it off while Troy jumped off the couch and grabbed them all. He took them into the kitchen. Mac offered her hand to Veronica and gave her a smile. Veronica looked up and nodded to her friend. She took Mac's hand and jumped up. 

“Your ass is mine, Vandergraff!! I'll own you and Boardwalk and all the railroads!” She seemed happy, but Logan couldn't tell how much of it was a show now. He was sure she heard what Troy said. He was also sure she noticed he didn't respond. He decided it would be best to try to mend their friendship. She was trying, being open. He could try too. 

“I call the car.”

His voice seemed so out of place at that moment, everyone looked over to him. Wallace smiled and slapped him on the shoulder. “Alright, then. I will be the little monocle dude!”

Veronica sat down in the chair and started putting the board together. Logan helped and their arms crossed, touching. He looked up at her, noticing a bit of redness to her eyes. He offered a small smile, which she returned.


	14. Chapter 14

Logan pulled his luxury SUV up into the spot and checked his phone. It was just after five in the morning and there was nothing from Dick yet. He sighed and got out, already wearing his wet suit, but it wasn't up on his chest. He was wearing a tee shirt. He walked around and pulled out his surfboard and was closing up the car when Dick pulled in quick next to him, making him jump. He almost hit Dick's convertible with his board. Dick got out of the car, laughing and grabbing his board out of the back.

“Sup, mi amigo! Ready to catch some waves?” He was smiling and pulled out his wet suit from the trunk. He pulled off his shorts, exposing his bare behind to anyone who happened to be up this early and didn't seem too concerned. 

Logan just chuckled and walked around his car, heading towards the beach. He noticed someone surfing, and watched idly as Dick finished getting the wet suit on. 

“Damn. Dude is good.” Dick said from behind Logan. And the surfer was good. He was doing several tricks before enjoying the peaceful ride back to the beach. 

“You better not be naked, Dick.” Logan pushed forward, planning to tell the dude he was fun to watch when he noticed that the surfer wasn't a dude.

“Holy shit! Roni! Damn, girl!” Dick ran up and hugged her tightly, water spraying as he swung her around. He put her down and looked at her. “How did you learn to do that?”

“Hey Dick! I, uh, I had a good instructor, I guess.” She looked to Logan and offered a friendly smile. 

“Veronica Mars, Surfer. I'm at a loss for words.” Logan smiled back. He seemed friendlier than yesterday. Calmer. 

Dick walked around Veronica, who was still in her wet suit. “Damn Roni! You look GOOD. Lifting weights? Yoga? Whatever it is, it's working.” He licked his lips and only stopped drooling when Logan pushed him.

The three of them laugh and Logan nodded to Veronica, agreeing with Dick. “You looked good out there. When did you learn to surf?”

Veronica grabbed her towel off the beach and shook it out before rubbing it over her hair and wet suit. “Uh, ok. Well, I went to look for Duncan, found him and he taught me.” She said it really fast, like she thought it would be better to put it out there. 

Logan and Dick blinked at her. 

“He says hi?” She grabbed a water and gulped some down. 

“When did you see him?” Logan was serious again. 

“Oh, six years ago, maybe. After I left...” She looked to Dick, but didn't give anything away. “I traveled a lot. I knew he was in Australia, so I went to find him. I managed to find him and meet Lilly. She was adorable. She looks just like Meg. He took me out a few times, taught me how to do the basics.”

“I haven't seen him since he left. I had wondered... “ Logan trailed off.

“So, Roni, how is life? Got a boyfriend? I ask because I am currently between ladies and thought we could put some of our history to bed.” Dick was trying.

Veronica laughed and shook her head. “Dick, you haven't changed a bit.” 

“Well, I try not to disappoint my fans. Water good?” Dick points to the ocean.

Veronica nods and Dick jumps up, grabs his board and heads to the water. “Three's always been a crowd.” 

“Thanks for never telling him.” Her voice was barely over a whisper.

Logan looked up and for a second, he was lost. Then he realized she meant about Cassidy. “He probably would have jumped if we gave him enough time. This way kept Kendall from getting a lot of money, so that's a benefit.”

Veronica nodded and took another swig of her water.

“Duncan good then?” Logan sat down next to her and they both looked out at Dick. He was skilled enough, but he fell off the board a lot.

“Yea, the last time I saw him, he was good. Lilly was good. They both seem happy and healthy and stable. I still think it's the best thing in that crappy situation.”

“And you helped him.” Logan had never asked her to share it before. He had assumed. The plan had to be detailed, and Logan knew Duncan was smart, but not that smart. He knew someone with the skill to track people down helped him run away.

“Wearing a wire, Mr. Echolls?” She turned and smirked to him.

“Did you reconnect with him?” He was quiet. 

“I spent the day with him, and his daughter and slept in my own hotel that night.” Veronica's voice sounded tired. “Logan?”

He turned and looked to her.

“You realize that my sex life in the last ten years has nothing to do with you, right?” She asked calmly. She didn't appear to be upset. 

“I do. I... I just... nevermind. I was curious. I know you cared for him greatly and circumstances removed him from your life and you were left with me again.”

Veronica turned and looked at him. “I was never stuck with you.” Her eyes were wide and soft. She reached a hand to his arm and gently placed it there. 

Logan turned and looked at her. The morning sun was hitting her face, giving her an orange glow. He reached up and cupped her face in his hands and leaned in, gingerly kissing her lips.

Veronica wasn't shocked at the kiss. She actually had expected it before. What surprised her was how timid the kiss was. She remember the passion, the fire between them when they touched, kissed, made love. But this, this kiss was so tender and sweet and chaste. 

Logan broke the kiss and smiled down at her. He pushed a strand of blonde hair away from her eye and kissed her nose. She felt warmth rush through her. She blushed a bit and he chuckled. 

An alarm went off and Logan blinked, looking around. Veronica held up her wrist. “Time's up.” 

Logan looked to her wrist then back to him, shaking his head. “No, wait.”

Veronica laughed and shook her head. “I'm kidding. It's just telling me it's six am. I'm free until dinner tonight. Mac apparently wants me to meet her beau, but won't tell me who it is.” She paused and grinned to Logan. “Who is it?”

Logan laughed and pulled Veronica closer, tucking her in under his arm, holding her close to his side. “Oh no, I'm not ruining that. She'll kill me.” He stopped and then shook his head. “That line loses all meaning with you.”

Veronica smirked. “Only until you say it about me.” She poked him in his side with a finger, as if she were stabbing him.

Logan laughed and Veronica sighed. She had missed his laugh. 

Dick came back in and flicked water on them. “Hey Logan, and the girl who follows him around, that water is begging to be surfed. Let's go!” Veronica laughed and jumped up, grabbing her board and reached the water before she turned and looked at the boys.

“We'll be there in a sec. Go on, catch a good one. We'll watch from here.” Logan was standing and holding Dick's arm.

Veronica nodded and walked out to the water, but she was nervous now. She suspected Logan wouldn't tell Dick about her life. Dick couldn't keep a secret. Logan knew that. What if he told Dick about Cassidy now? What would she do? She obviously couldn't be arrested for it, but Dick would know. Logan would side with Dick, right? She would lose him all over again. She looked over her shoulder as she straddled her board and looked to the men on the beach.

 

“Dude, if you still have feelings for her, then you should totally hit that. I mean, she's bangin', bro! Not going to find much of that Saturday night. Bunch of kids and hard reality checks to those chicas.” Dick was full of tact as he looked to his friend.

“I messed things up so bad though. I could easily mess it up again.” Logan looked at Veronica and as she turned, he waved at her.

“Dude, stop being a pussy. Everyone knows you are meant to be with her. Some epic soulmate shit right there.” He gulped the rest of Veronica's water and tossed the empty bottle on the beach. 

Logan watched and sighed. He nodded. “Epic.” 

“Totally. Now, can we go surf?” Dick backed up towards the ocean, board in hand.

Logan nodded, grinning a bit. He took off his tee shirt and put the rest of his wet suit on, zipping it up. He grabbed his board and went out into the water.

 

Dick spent the morning with the couple, playing the part of buffer, but by lunch, he had to go do something that required chest hair waxing. Veronica didn't want to ask, knowing Dick would tell her. Now, alone with Logan, they sat on the beach. They had gotten some hot dogs on the boardwalk and a couple sodas. Veronica was chomping away, watching the water.

“Have you ever lost your appetite?” Logan watched as she finished one and went for a second.

Veronica shrugged. “Food is my constant.”

“Your constant? What do you mean?”

She swallowed and took a drink before turning to face him. “My relationship with food has been around since I was born. It's never disappointed me, or abandoned me, or betrayed me. It was never taken from me or abused me. It's been there, fueling me through life.” 

Logan nodded. He wasn't surprised the innocent question had such a loaded answer. He ate the rest of his and offered his second to Veronica. She shook her head and finished the one she had. They watched as the sun started to reflect off the water and Veronica checked her watch. 

“I should go soon. I mean, this has been good, I think. But, dinner with Mac and whoever is coming up and I smell like dead fish.”

“Veronica, do you think I could take you to dinner sometime this week? I know you have a lot of people to see.” He didn't know why he said that. She was a loner in high school except for the people who were there last night at Mac's. He didn't bother to correct it though.

“Uh, sure, Logan. I'm busy tonight, obviously, and tomorrow is my dinner with Dad and Alicia. How about Thursday night?” 

He grinned widely and nodded. “Sounds great.”

Veronica nodded and smiled before turned and standing. She grabbed her board and looked down at him. “See ya Thursday then, Echolls.” 

Logan stood and looked around. “Where's your car?”

“I walked.”

He grinned. “You're gonna walk back to Mac's after surfing all day?”

She grinned back wider. “I'm in fantastic shape. I can handle it.”

He grabbed his board, then hers and walked to his car, putting them both in the back. Veronica sighed and followed. She threw the towels in the back and looked up at him. He had a dark look in his eyes. She raised a brow at him. “What?”

“Oh, I was thinking of you, in shape.” He smirked and leaned in close to her. 

She leaned against the back of his SUV and looked up at him. He put a hand on the car to either side of her head and looked down at her. He leaned down slow, hovering with his lips near hers. She smirked and grabbed his shirt, pulling him close. Their lips touched and the fire returned. Tongues swirled around as his hands moved to touch her chin and reach around to pull her close. She kept a grip on his shirt as the other hand also reached around him, helping keep his body up against hers. She moaned softly into the kiss as memories of simpler times flooded back to her. He kissed her cheek then her neck and nuzzled his face in her salty hair.

“Whoa, Veronica.” He was panting.

Veronica tilted her head back until it hit the car. She winced, forgetting about the stitches back there. She released his shirt and dropped her hands to her sides.

Logan pushed off her, looking down at her. Her lips a little swollen and red. Her eyes dark. “Fuck.” 

Veronica smirked and nodded. She grabbed him again and pulled him into another passionate kiss. This time, she lifted a leg and wrapped it around his hip. He held it there, massaging her thigh. Veronica reached around his neck and then lifted her other leg, wrapping it around as well and locking her ankles behind his lower back. She was held up by her arms around his neck and between him and his car. He moaned and grabbed her behind. They continued to kiss, moaning softly to each other until a familiar “woop woop” disturbed them.

“Veronica Mars. I see you still don't know how to pick them.” Lamb was using the speaker. He had pulled up behind Logan's car in his cruiser.

They stopped kissing and Veronica lowered her legs. She glared at Lamb, who was smacking his gum, smirking. Veronica went to the car and bent over to look in the car, giving Logan a nice view of her behind in the wet suit. He couldn't help but look, but didn't bother to get between Lamb and Veronica.

“What seems to be the problem, Deputy?” Veronica purred as she glanced around the inside of his patrol car.

“Indecent exposure, Mars.” He points up to her chest. “I hope your nipples don't scratch my paint job.” He smirked and shook his head a bit. “Never learned from the first dozen times, Veronica?” He nodded towards Logan. 

“You were always taken, Deputy. Empty your dance card, give a girl a chance!” She smirked and pushed off the car, making him wobble a bit inside. She turned and walked back to Logan. He was grinning wide at her. He turned and got in his car and as the Sheriff turned the car to leave. 

Veronica got into Logan's car and grinned. “That was nice.” 

Logan looked over at her and nodded. He looked down at her little body in the seat next to him and then turned, exhaling slowly. “Very nice.” 

“Need me to drive?” She spoke with a sensual tone and he couldn't help but look up. He expected her to be playing with the stick shift, but she wasn't. 

“No, Ma'am. I can handle the curves.” He smirked and peeled out of the parking lot. He drove quickly, but away from Mac's house.

“Whoa, where we going?” Veronica looked around.

“My place.”

Veronica smirked and put her hand on his arm. “As much as I would love to see your place, and please tell me it's not the Neptune Grand, I should get to Mac's so I can shower and change. I mean, learning everything yesterday, I don't think it would be good to make her worry about me. Not so soon. But this... us... we're coming back to it.

Logan sighed and looked over at her. “You are right. I hate it, but you are right.” He turned around and drove back towards Mac's house.

“Did you forget all the times I was right before?” Veronica giggled. She couldn't help herself.

Logan stopped the car suddenly. He reached over and slipped a hand behind her back and pulled her to him. His lips pushed against hers while he kissed her passionately. She moaned and seemed to melt into him. He released her, letting her drop back into the passenger's seat as he pushed on the gas. Veronica adjusted in the seat and rubbed her lips with her fingers. Logan smirked as he took her back to Mac's house.


	15. Chapter 15

Veronica got inside and sighed with a grin. She took a chilly shower, just to take the edge off from the last twenty minutes and got dressed. After she did her makeup, she went downstairs, a little worried she hadn't heard Mac getting ready too. She found a note on the kitchen table telling her to meet Mac and her boyfriend at the restaurant. Veronica checked the time and decided to go ahead and head over there.   
She had the valet park her car and walked in. The place was nice, ritzy even. It was new and there was a huge line of people waiting to get in. Veronica walked up to the host and smiled. “Hi, excuse me, I'm with the Mackenzie party? Have they been seated?”

The host, dressed in a finely fitted suit looked down at his clipboard and nodded. “Yes, they are expecting you. This way, please.” He opened the door and allowed her to walk ahead of him. About halfway through the dining area, Veronica was yanked to the side and pushed up against the wall. The host stopped and blinked, but once he saw who it was, he merely waited several feet away.

Veronica gasped and looked up at Gory's face and smirked. “Mr. Sorokin. Most greet people with a handshake or even a high-five.”

“Miss Mars.” He looked down at her, admiring her in the flowing cocktail dress she had on. “How's your head?”

“Perfectly fine. Thank you so much for asking.”

“Oh, my pleasure. Are you here to see me again?” He had one hand blocking her from heading the direction she was going and the other now rested on her hip, his thumb caressing it.

“Sadly, no, Mr. Sorokin. I'm meeting a friend and her boyfriend for dinner. Do you own this establishment?” She let him keep his fingers, for now.

Gory nodded and leaned in, breathing in her scent. “I do, and a few others. I'm pretty business savvy, Miss Mars. I'm comfortable, financially speaking.”

“I've seen your house. I know you're rich.” She was biting her tongue. She knew the mob connection would come up eventually if she kept running into him, but to use it this early would be a rookie mistake. “Mr. Sorokin, my friends are waiting?” She ended it more like a question, a request to be released.

“Of course, Miss Mars.” He gripped her waist hard before pushing off the wall and away from her. She winced a bit. “Might I suggest the salmon? It's quite fresh and very delicious.” He licked his lips and gestured for her to continue to her table. 

Veronica smiled and walked past him, joining the host. She would have to deal with him, but not tonight. Tonight was with Mac and her boyfriend. As she saw the back of his head, her mind went blank. Who could it be? She thought it might have been her college boyfriend Max, but this guy was bigger. 

Mac noticed her and smiled, waving her over. She bit her lower lip as Veronica moved towards the table. 

Veronica stopped and looked at the man rising to greet her. He took her hand and smiled softly. “Veronica, I'm so glad you could make it tonight. Mac said you were back in town and well, it's so great to see you again.”

Veronica looked from him then to Mac then back to the man. “Butters, er, I mean Vincent. It's great to see you too.” She smiled and as Vincent pulled out her chair for her, she gave Mac a puzzling look.

“Veronica doesn't know how we got together, Vince. I've been keeping her in the dark. But, due to recent eye-opening events, I think it's best if everyone shares everything.” She grinned and handed Veronica a menu.

Veronica nodded and took a sip of her water. “Yes, well, this is a surprise.” She turns to Vincent. “I mean, the last time I saw you was the Prom.” Veronica couldn't help but smirk at Mac in memory of that date. Vincent had helped Veronica sneak into the principal's office, who happened to be his father. In return, Veronica had given him a date with Mac, which was the Alterna-Prom Logan hosted at the Neptune Grand. Mac had told her many times that night that she was planning Veronica's death. Vincent had worn a velvet cape, top hat and carried a cane. 

Vincent laughed and put his hand on Mac's, smiling at her fondly. “Yes, well, rocky starts and a few years to really come into my own, and I got her back in my life.” He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it.

Mac giggled a bit and looked to Veronica. “I don't forgive you yet, but you will no longer be killed for your part in my indentured slavery.” She squeezed Vincent's hand. “We met again, at a conference in Singapore.”

“She was more beautiful and graceful than I remembered, and more in touch with her own body. She was so sure of herself.” He was watching her, smiling fondly as he remembered their re-connection.

“And he was grown up. Still a nerd at heart, but able to keep his cool and out of capes.” Mac laughed and Veronica smiled.

“So, Vincent, what have you done since high school?” 

“Oh, Harvard accepted me and I got a degree in computer science then another in business. I work for Kane Industries.” 

Veronica shifted her head a bit. “They don't mind that you are dating the CEO of a competitor?”

Vincent grinned. “They told me to get what I could. But, I have no intention of stealing from her or giving her secrets of Kane's. I'm in this for love.”

Veronica grinned at them and nodded. Their waitress came by, but brought with her a tray of food. Vincent was given a steak. Mac got a huge salad. Veronica got the salmon. Each was given a glass of wine, different from the others. Veronica looked around and when she spotted Gory, he tipped an imaginary hat and walked back towards the offices.

“Making friends, I see.” Mac started munching on her salad while Vincent shrugged and cut into his steak. 

Veronica turned back to her friend and nodded. “You know me. Miss Popular.”

Mac leaned in and spoke in a hushed tone. “You know that's Gorya Sorokin, Russian Mob leader, right?”

Veronica smirked and nodded. “I do. Apparently, he has a fourth grade crush on me.” She reached up and adjusted a strand of hair on her head.

Mac dropped her fork and gawked at Veronica. She leaned in and whispered again. “Even with what you do, these are not guys to mess with, Veronica! They are dangerous and deadly and scary.”

Veronica handed Mac her salad fork and let her fingers rest on Mac's hand. “I'm fine. Really. It's nothing serious.” She looked up at Vincent. “Good steak?”

He nodded as he chewed and offered the women a big closed-mouth smile. Mac chuckled a bit, relaxing slightly before giving Veronica a side glance. Veronica caught it and nodded. Mac let it go.


	16. Chapter 16

Wednesday morning was spent at the warehouse. She practiced shooting her guns and throwing her knives. She worked out on the exercise equipment. Troy showed up around ten and leaned against the wall, watching her run on the treadmill.

“Mars, you expect to get out of trouble at that pace?” He yelled over her music. 

Veronica looked back, pulling her earbuds out. She flashed a smirk and let the treadmill bring her back, before jumping off at kicking at his face. The two fought, only holding back slightly as they punched and kicked at each other. They were used to each others moves, but having a spontaneous battle kept them on their toes. They fought for around ten minutes before Veronica pinned Troy down on his back with her foot on his throat. Panting, she laughed. “Snap. Dead.”

Troy nodded, holding his hands up to surrender before grabbing her leg and pulling her down to the floor. He laughed and poked her sides. “Stab stab stab. Dead.”

Veronica winced and put her head back, catching her breath. “Why the Fitzpatricks wait so long to kill Molly? I mean, she got married and then years pass before they kill her.”

“You still on Molly? Geesh, Roni.” Troy got up and got two bottles of water. Handing one down to her. She used it to cool a sore muscle in her arm.

“Any word on why she was on our mission list?”

“None. I don't think CW knows either. He said to just drop it and go to the next.” He nudged her leg with is foot. “Going to drop it?”

“Probably not. I don't think it makes any sense.” Veronica sat up and took a drink.

“I heard you saw Gory last night. He the one who banged up your head?”

Veronica turned and looked to Troy. “Yes and yes. He pushed me up against a door. He was less violent last night. Mac chose his restaurant to eat.” She took another drink from her bottle. “He likes me. I think he's up to something.”

“Yea. Roni. Mobster stuff.” Troy sounded a bit worried. Sure, they had taken on the mob before, but they didn't flirt with them before. 

“What are the Fitzpatricks doing lately? Anything suspicious since we stopped by?”

“Doesn't appear so. There's some meeting I was going to go spy on tonight, but Clarence needs help with his thing.” 

Veronica perked up. “A secret business meeting in a warehouse? Oh, tell me where it is!”

Troy laughed and shook his head. “No. You can't go alone. Those guys would love a piece of you, in more ways than one.” 

“I'll bring backup!” Veronica was on her knees now, begging him. “Please, Troy!”

Troy shook his head. “Who will your backup be? Mac? Wallace? Pfft. NO.”

“I'll take Weevil!” Veronica grinned.

Troy laughed and nodded. “Ok, but recon. He's there to help if you get spotted. Do not do your typical 'Oopsie! I fell in and now I have to beat everyone up' routine. That's only cute when the warehouse is filled with puppies.”

Veronica jumped up and tilted her head. “I don't beat up puppies!”

 

Veronica called and left a message on Eli's phone saying she needed his help with something this evening then went to visit Wallace. She hadn't checked on him since he found out the truth about her and wanted to make sure he was dealing with it alright. She parked the car and got out. 

“Ugh.” She looked up at the front of the school and shook her head. She hated this place, but loved it at the same time. It was the place her tormentors lived, but also where she could dive into something to distract her from her problems. She took a deep breath and walked inside.

The school smelled the same and looked roughly the same. It probably had a new coat of paint since she was last here. She made her way to the office. There was a small line of students at the desk so she sat against the wall and picked up a school newspaper. She flipped through it, not knowing any names mentioned. No mention of students killing other students, so it seemed to be a calm year.

“I was worried you would be back, Veronica. I can assure you though, you graduated.”

Veronica smirked and lowered the paper. She stood and opened her arms wide.” Mr C! Looking good!”

Mr. Van Clemmons didn't hug her though. He turned and walked to his office. Veronica followed him and looked around. “I am shocked there's not a statue of me in here.”

“Veronica, is there something I can do for you? I don't think you have a child old enough to attend this institution yet and I hope to be retired before you do.” He sat behind his desk and adjusted some files. 

Veronica gasped and held a hand to her chest. “You wound me, Mr. Clemmons! I am sure my gifted children would be so blessed to have you to challenge them, like you challenged me.” She smirked and dropped in a seat across from him. “I had dinner with your son last night.”

Mr. Clemmons looked up and raised a brow. “He told me he was having dinner with his girlfriend.”

“Can I call you Papa yet, or do you prefer to wait until he actually proposes?”

Mr. Clemmons finally catches on to her joke and nods. “You joined him and Cindy?”

“Yes, I did. I am so happy to have set them up. I mean, it took them long enough, but I did it!”

“Veronica, did you come all the way in here just to torture me?” He was getting annoyed with her.

“Actually, I didn't come here to see you at all. So there.” She raspberried him and smiled. “I'm meeting Wallace for lunch, but I don't know which classroom is his. I was waiting for the line to thin before asking. You just happened to shine your light upon me and I couldn't resist.” She smiled at him and he couldn't help but smirk back at her.

“307, Veronica. Mr. Fennel is in room 307.” 

“Thanks, Mr. C! I'll see you Saturday, if the wedding doesn't happen sooner!” Veronica stood up and did the moonwalk out of his office.

 

Veronica leaned against the lockers and checked the time. She had a few minutes before the bell would ring, so she called Logan.

“Hello?”

“Hey, sugarpuss.”

“Oh, hey. I was wondering when you would call. We should probably talk about what happened.”

“Yea, about that. I was thinking-”

“Oh crap. You were calling to tell me you are leaving again.” He sounded heartbroken.

“Logan! No! I wasn't. I was calling to see how you were doing. That's all. I'm not going anywhere for a while.” She couldn't be sure of that, but she had no plans to leave him. 

“So still on for tomorrow?” He sounded hopeful.

“Of course! Pick me up around seven?” She had put on her happy voice.

The bell rang and the students began to pour into the hall. 

“Where are you?” Logan asked loudly, hoping she could hear him over the bustle of the hall.

“High school.”

“Ahh, old memories. Have they covered up the fire and brimstone?”

“Not yet.” 

Wallace walked out of the classroom and raised a brow. Veronica mouthed 'Logan' and Wallace rolled his eyes.

“Hey, I gotta go give my brother a wedgie. I'll see you tomorrow.” Veronica smirked and hung up the phone. 

“Logan, really? Didn't get enough of that pain ten years ago?”

Veronica shrugged. “My niece here yet?” 

“Soon. Jane is getting frustrated with everything. I have my phone on me. I know it's coming any day now.”

They walked to the cafeteria and Wallace covered the cost of the lunches. They found their table outside and sat at it. Veronica looked around. “Wow. This isn't weird.” 

Wallace noticed her sarcasm and smirked. “It's fun because none of the students know you are my sister. They probably think I am cheating on my very pregnant wife. This should be a lot of fun this afternoon.” He laughed and bit into his macaroni surprise.

Veronica's phone rang and she looked at it. She tilted her head, unsure of the number. “No one has my real number.” 

Wallace shrugged and stole an apple slice from Veronica's plate. 

“Hello?” Veronica answered the call.

“Veronica Mars?”

“Yes. Who is this?” Her voice sounded serious. She didn't recognize the voice on the other end.

“I believe you were looking for me. This is Yury.” 

“Yury. I don't know a Yury. Can you tell me what this is in reference to?” She sounded pleasant and even offered a grin to Wallace.

“You researching the murder of my wife. I don't play games, Veronica. I won't be swayed by your cute talk like Gory is.” He sounded upset.

“Oh, Mr. Sorokin! Yes, I'm sorry. My mind is not what it used to be. Couple head injuries, you know. Yes, I would love to get together with you and talk about your wife.”

“That won't be needed, Veronica. I'm asking you to stop digging. It's disrespectful to me and to the families involved.”

Veronica took note he included the Fitzpatricks. “Alright, Mr. Sorokin. I'm sorry to cause you more anguish. I am sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you, Veronica.” He hung up.

Wallace had stopped eating and was looking up at her. “You are dealing with the Sorokins?”

Veronica smirked and took a big bite of her macaroni surprise before making a face down at it. “Oh my god. Is this leftover from when we went here?” She went to grab an apple slice, but they were gone. She glared up at Wallace.

“I would feel bad, but you ignored my question.” He looked concerned.

“I asked them about Molly. I was curious what happened to her and now, not everything is adding up right.”

He sighed. “At least, I know you can handle yourself if it comes to it. Just be careful.” 

She smiled and stood up. “Will do.” She looked up and noticed Kaz was grinning at her.

Wallace turned and sighed. “Don't pick on the students.”

Kaz walked over to her and smiled down at Wallace. “Mr. Fennel! Why didn't you tell us you had such a hot piece on the side?”

Wallace turned and looked at Veronica, a brow raised, then back to Kaz. “Don't know, Kazimir. Maybe it's not appropriate for students to think of their teachers as anything other than teachers or coaches. 

Veronica looked down at Wallace. “You got old, man. You speak like old people.” She looked over at Kaz and smiled. “Mr. Fennel a good teacher?”

“Oh, yea. He's cool. He doesn't give too much homework. I can get behind that, ya know?”

“Yea, he's a softy.” She pushed her tray towards Wallace. “Bell is about to ring. I'll catch you later.” She looks back to up Kaz. “Study hard.” She leaves the school, Kaz watching her leave even as the bell rings. Wallace turns him and gently pushes him back towards the classrooms.

Veronica walked out through the courtyard. She stopped and looked up at the flagpole. This is where she met Wallace almost thirteen years ago. It's where she saw three people duct-taped to it, two of which deserved the humiliation, two of which she didn't cut down. She also remembered a car impaled on it, but she wasn't a part of that tale. 

She looked past it and sighed softly. She walked up to the memorial on a far wall. She reached out a hand, running her fingers into the water that trickled down. She thought back to the name on it. Lilly Kane. She took a moment to remember her best friend who was murdered. It seemed like a lifetime ago. She was certainly not the same person Lilly knew, but Veronica thinks Lilly would have been proud of her now. Veronica let her wet fingers trace over Lilly's name and then she stepped back. She missed her friend.


	17. Chapter 17

Later that evening, Veronica enjoyed a pleasant dinner with her dad and Alicia. She got back to Mac's house around eight pm. She called up Eli.

“Who dis?”

“Veronica. I need a favor.”

“Of course you do, V.” He was grinning. “Sup?”

“Meet me at your garage? I'll fill you in.”

“Ok, but-” Veronica hung up on him.

Veronica changed into some dark clothing and boots. She put her long blonde hair up in a loose bun and headed to the garage. She pulled up and unlocked the door, letting Eli into her car.

“Damn V. You're making some nice change these days.”

“Eli, you have no idea. I need some backup, you in?”

“For you, of course.” He cracked his knuckles. “Whose skulls am I crackin'?”

Veronica started to drive towards the address Troy had given her. “Hopefully no one's. We're going to be spying on Fitzpatricks.”

“Whoa, V. I can't be messing with them.” Veronica noticed he actually looked a little scared.

“So I should drop you off here?” She points to the side of the road.

“Damn, V. It just we dealt with them as kids and they were rough. I don't think I can survive another round with them. I'm sure as hell not going to let you get tangled with them.”

“Too late, way too late. But I can handle my own now, Eli. I'm good. I told my partner you would back me up, but if you can't, I get it. You can answer him if I get killed.” She knew it was harsh, but she really shouldn't be going alone.

“Ok, but we do it my way.” He paused. “What do we need to do?”

Veronica smirked. “Recon. That's it. They don't need to see us, and we just need to hear them. It'll be easy.”

“Alright, V. I gotcha on this. But you listen to me, ok?” He looked so serious and protective.

“Roger.” She pulled up about half a block down the street and parked the car. They got out and Eli was about twenty feet ahead of her before he realized she stopped to open her trunk. He walked back to her and stopped.

“Holy shit.” 

Her trunk was filled with armor, weapons, explosives and spy gear. She grabbed a couple guns, checked the bullets and slipped them into holsters he hadn't noticed her wearing. She put her cell in a pocked in her pants and secured it. She went to close the trunk, turned and gestured for him to take something. 

“Uh. Yea, a couple handguns.” He was still in shock. “Just recon?”

“Yes.” She handed him a couple guns and went to close the trunk one more time. She stopped and reached in for a grenade. She hooked two to her shirt and closed the trunk.

“You look like Rambo on estrogen.”

Veronica smirked and walked past him. 

“This what you do now?” He spoke quietly behind her as she snuck into the yard next to the warehouse. There was a row of pine trees giving the house privacy from the warehouse. 

“Yes, but I'm legit. Government trained. Don't tell anyone, especially my dad.” She stopped him from walking out from the trees into the grass and looked up. She noticed a camera moving. She waited until it was facing away from them and pulled him out. They ran up to the building and when the camera moved again, they slipped inside. 

The first room was an office with filing cabinets and desks in it. It had large windows looking outside. On the opposite wall, it had a large safety window looking over the main room in the warehouse. There were stairs on the other side of the main room. The whole place looked abandoned, except for some crates in the center room.

“Ever kill anyone?”

“Yes.” She heard a guard and pushed Eli into a dark corner, leaning up against him to stay hidden. 

Eli jumped, but wrapped his arms loosely around her, listening. Once the guard passed, Eli dropped his hands to his sides. Veronica moved, Eli spoke. “I'm shocked.”

“Most expected me to be FBI, Eli. I am just better. I follow less rules. Up this way.” She jumped up on a desk and pushed a ceiling tile up. She slipped up into the ceiling. Eli looked up at her and shook his head. She was fluid and graceful. When Eli didn't come up, she peeked down at him. “What's the hold up?”

“I can't jump up there, V. Not quietly.” He was smiling, but he had a point. He pointed to his own bulky body.

“Ok. Stay here. Stay hidden. Text if something happens. Run if it's bad.” She vanished into the darkness of the ceiling.

“V! Wait!” He was still whispering, but loudly. 

Veronica reappeared. “Hmm?”

“What about you?”

“I'll be fine. Or close to fine. Really. Keep your head down and ears open. Don't do anything stupid. Leave that to the professionals.” She winked at him and was gone again.

Eli watched the ceiling for a few seconds then ducked back down. He noticed her again as she was walking along a thin catwalk in the middle of the warehouse. She had the balance of a cat and he almost lost his senses seeing her. She easily made it to the other side and disappeared again. 

 

Veronica snuck around the empty corridors, listening. She could hear men talking, but hadn't been able to pinpoint their location yet. She moved past several doors, sneaking inside one when she heard someone coming down the hall. She kept the lights off and looked around the room, a simple office with no paper or electronics inside. She heard the door to the room next to the one she was in slam and the voice of her least favorite Irishman.

“Fuck him and his mother, Danny. I'm not paying that punk shit.”

“I know, Liam. I'm just explaining what he said.” Danny Boyd stumbled over his words. He was nervous which usually meant Liam was beyond pissed. “Want me to go tell him anything or-” He stopped speaking. It took Veronica a second to hear it, but it sounded like sirens. “Fuck, Liam. Sheriff is here!”

“Get to the shit, start loading it. I'll go deal with him.”

Veronica heard Liam stomp out of the room and Danny run the other way. She opened the door slowly, but stopped when she saw Liam standing next to the catwalk. He was looking down, facing away from her. She noticed now, as police lights were flashing, that a collection of chains hung from the ceiling. She ducked back in the office as Liam turned and walked past her and before too long, she heard him talking again.

“Sheriff Lamb. This is private property. I don't suppose you have a warrant to be here.”

Veronica moved back to the catwalk and looked down. She saw Lamb standing there peeking inside empty crates. She also noticed Leo next to him and a couple other deputies gathering up Fitzpatricks. Veronica started to walk across the catwalk as she had done before, but something clicked and she froze. She looked back as a bolt had popped loose.

“Who is up there?” Lamb asked, shining a flashlight up on her. “Holy crap.”

“Veronica?” Leo asked softly. He was looking up, blinking with his head tilted. 

Veronica grinned down to the law enforcement officers and gave a little wave. She was pretty sure she saw the nostrils of Liam Fitzpatrick flare. But before he could yell, the catwalk gave way and Veronica started to fall the forty feet down.

Liam growled loudly and pulled out a gun and aimed it at Veronica.

Veronica reached out and grabbed a chain, hoping it was secure and began to swing away from the falling sheets of metal. 

Lamb's eyes widened, jumping to the side to escape the falling catwalk. 

Goons rushed out the woodwork and within seconds, people were shooting up at Veronica or the sheriff and his deputies. Leo rushed at Liam, grabbing his wrists and slamming them against a crate til the gun dropped. Leo wrestled with Liam, but managed to get him into handcuffs. He jerked him through the door and past the door Eli was hiding near. Leo unlocked the cruiser and pushed a struggling Liam into the back seat and slammed the door, ignoring the cussing Irishman in the back seat. 

Veronica swung gracefully, dodging bullets. She would fire back if she wasn't being watched by Lamb and the deputies. She wrapped the chain around her ankle and hung upside down. 

Lamb's heart skipped a beat as he held his breath watching her. This girl, who he watched grow up, was being shot at. He shook his head and began to fire at those shooting up at her with his deputies.

Veronica pulled a grenade off her shirt and looked around. She felt a bullet wiz by her head, feeling the heat of it across her cheek. She took a deep breath, pulled the pin and tossed it into the office she had been hiding in upstairs. She grabbed the chain she was on and began to swing back and forth again.

“Veronica! Get down here!” Lamb yelled. He sounded nervous and scared for her. He sounded like he cared.


	18. Chapter 18

Eli saw the sheriff's department pull up and knew he couldn't just rush out there. He waited, hidden in the dark shadows of the front office. He was able to see Veronica make to the catwalk and watched in horror as she began to fall. He couldn't look away. He clinched his hands around his jeans, just to keep himself from screaming out. He let out the air he was holding when she grabbed the chain and it supported her weight. Leo distracted him as he pushed Liam outside. Eli watched him struggle to put him in the cruiser and Eli took that moment to rush out too. He didn't care about the camera now, but ducked back into the neighbor's yard. He watched the confusion from the cover of the pine trees.

 

Lamb felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest. His men were being shot at now, but his biggest concern was Veronica. She had flipped back to right-side up and was sliding down the chain. He saw a flicker of metal in her hand and figured it was a pin. He yelled out “Fire in the hole!”

Veronica was pushed down and landed roughly on an empty crate. She covered her face from the explosion and rolled away when as a large piece of wood was coming down at her. She landed on Lamb, who now held her cradled in his arms. She smiled up at him. “Hi.”

Lamb held her, amazed by this woman. He watched her, wide-eyed as a bullet hit him his chest and he stumbled back, dropping Veronica. He landed on his back and appeared to have hit his head.

Veronica growled as she landed hard on his legs, then checked his pulse. He was still breathing and his pulse was elevated, but strong. She straddled his thighs and checked his chest, but found no blood. She yanked his shirt open, popping a couple buttons and noticed the bullet was in his Kevlar vest and hadn't made skin contact. She checked his head for blood or bumps and there was nothing. Suddenly, she felt hands creeping over her behind and up her back. She looked down and Lamb was smirking. “Knew you couldn't resist me for long, Mars.” He looked confused when he pulled her guns out of holsters and then looked at her with a brow raised.

“Taser seemed weak considering the situation.” She smirked back. She stood and twisted grabbed the guns out of his hands. She reached up, fired quickly around the room and then bent down and looked back at him. “You'll make it “

He reached up to her chest and touched the grenade. “What the hell are you, Mars?”

Veronica couldn't help but smirk at him, putting her guns away. “Skilled. Can you stand?”

“Uh, maybe.” He moved to stand.

“Take your time. I still have to run out of here.” She winked and jumped up, running out the door. 

Lamb tried to rush to his feet, but the pain in his chest slowed him down considerably. He was barely to his feet before Leo was coming back in. 

“Veronica just ran past me. She seems ok.”

“Yea, she's fine.” He held his vest away from his chest, giving himself some air. “I want to know what she keeps doing meddling with the Fitzpatricks.”

“She looked pretty amazing up on that chain though, Sheriff.” Leo smirked and looked back towards the way she ran.

“Lets check the bodies, see who she killed.” 

Leo looked around at the other deputies, all mending and arresting Fitzpatricks. “They all look alive, Sheriff.”

Lamb looked around and blinked. She hadn't killed any of them, but had shot the goons in the arms and hands. “Bring her in anyway.”

 

Eli was watching the door that Leo walked through. He had heard more gunfire, but crossed his fingers. He heard something behind him and turned. Veronica flicked his nose.

“V! Oh my god! Are you hurt?” He held her arms and checked her over. He noticed a pink mark on her cheek, but it was barely there. He looked over her torso, arms and bent down to look at her legs. He was about to breathe steady when he took in a sharp breath.

Veronica raised a brow and looked down. “Problem? Did I put my shoes on the wrong feet again?” She smiled down, but he wasn't smiling when he looked up. 

He grabbed her pants and put his finger in two holes near her calf. “Damn it, V! You were fucking shot at!”

Veronica grabbed him and pushed him against the side of the house. She put her hand over his mouth and her forearm of the other arm across his neck, cutting off some of his air. She glared at him. “Quiet!” She whispered at him. She blinked and let go of him. “Sorry.” She shook out her arms and backed up.

“V... “ Eli was whispering now, but his eyes screamed at her. He was worried and upset and much like Lamb, amazed.

“Trained. Skilled.” She softened her look at him. “This is what I do. I usually don't do it with cops staring at me, or friends hiding out, but this is what I do.” 

Eli didn't seem calmer. This was V. He was the guy who saved her from Logan smashing her headlights. The guy who answered every time she called and did anything she asked. She was this petite fireball who was all talk and a taser. She wasn't supposed to have guns or get into shooting matches with gangsters.

Veronica looked up at him and shook her head. “You and Logan are so alike, it's scary. He couldn't get over it at first either. Thanks for hanging out. I get why you didn't shoot anyone and I'm glad you didn't.”

“Did you?”

“Yea, about six of them. Non-lethal wounds.”

“How do you know that?” He was calming down.

“Because I shot them all in the arms, Eli. I'm a marksman. I know how to aim.”

“Trained. Skilled.” He repeated back to her and smiled a bit. “You were pretty bad ass in there, V.”

“Right?” She smiled and pulled him away from the house. She held his hand until they got to her car. She released his hand and went to the driver's side. She got in, waited for him, then drove away at a normal speed.


	19. Chapter 19

Veronica checked her cheek in the mirror. It was still a little pink, but it wouldn't scar. It didn't hurt and she could cover most of it up with makeup. She had slept in today. Mac had gone to work, she assumed, and she had no messages on her phone. She had some breakfast and dialed her phone.

“Veronica. What do I owe this pleasure?”

“C, I was hoping you could tell me why Molly was our mission.” She didn't bother with chitchat.

“I told you and Troy to let it go.” He sounded a little annoyed and a bit winded. 

“And you know me. So, what did you find out?” 

Clarence sighed. “She was in talks to be in the witness protection program, but the deal fell through. We were ordered to take her out because we felt she was two-timing the government, that she was just going to keep working with the mob.”

“But she had been dead for years, why wouldn't we know that?” 

There was a pause and what sounded like someone falling a very long distance. “As far as I can tell from the higher ups, we got it as a clerical error. It's strange that it would happen, but someone just didn't update her file.”

“Hmm. Ok, C. Thanks.”

“Let it go, Veronica.” He hung up.

Veronica looked at her phone and smirked. 

 

Veronica walked into a small office with an older woman sitting at the desk. She was on the phone but smiled sweetly at Veronica. Veronica smiled back and gestured towards the open door to the right. The older woman nodded and went back to her conversation. 

“Veronica Mars. Adult. Legal. Heart-breaker.” The man with the mustache looked over his desk at her. He looked like a cross between a crooked cop and a pedophile.

“Vinnie Van Lowe. Adult?” She shrugged, closing the door behind her. “Got a minute?”

“For you, twenty seconds. Maybe thirty-five.” He was looking her up and down, licking his lips. 

“Yuck. I want to talk.” She dusted off one of his chairs and sat across from him.

Vinnie shook his head and leaned back. “What is it this time, Veronica? Need another favor?” Vinnie was the private eye competition in Neptune. He was actually pretty good at what he did, which always seemed to shock the Mars family. Vinnie had helped Veronica assist Duncan in escaping the country with his baby. They had paid him very well and Vinnie had kept it secret. But most of the time, Vinnie was out there taking money shots of cheating spouses and using them to blackmail the spouse into paying double to keep it quiet, the Vinnie Classic. 

“What can you tell me about Molly Fitzpatrick?”

“Uh, she's dead, Veronica. Are you this out of the biz? I mean, I know it's been a while since you were working a case, but this seems kinda obvious.”

“Can you tell me how she died?” Veronica wasn't going to give Vinnie anything. She wasn't going to tell him what she does, or that she's been asking around already. She wanted to know what he knew, or what he was going to share.

“Biker gang shot her. Dunno why.” Vinnie was tilting his head a bit, looking at her strangely. “Liam said he already talked to you about this, Veronica. Why would you come to me?”

Veronica knew that a decade ago, Vinnie was on retainer with the Fitzpatricks. Now, she knew he was still probably working with them. “You know things other people don't, Vinnie. What don't they know?”

“That you are still poking around.”

Veronica smirked. She was sure they knew she was still poking around, especially after last night.

“What are the Fitzpatricks up to these days? What would they be shipping in or out?”

Vinnie nodded and pointed at her. “Ah, yea. I see whatcha doing!” He stood up and climbed around his desk which was surrounded by boxes and folders. “I'm not going to give up client information. You want to find out what they are up to, go ask them. Again.” He smirked at the last part.

“Vinnie, I can't. They are in jail. Pretty sure they are still in jail.” Veronica smirked back when she saw Vinnie's smile fade. She rose and shrugged. “Guess I was assuming you knew something, Vinnie.”

Vinnie watched her stand and looked down at her. “Veronica, you shouldn't be digging in this ditch. They are more dangerous now than ten years ago and they were pretty damn dangerous then.”

“I'm fine. I can handle them. Got anything you want to tell me or do I need to go to the county jail?”

Vinnie sighed and leaned against his desk, pushing a pile of papers across his desk. “They are in the drug dealing business. This isn't news, they've been in it for a couple decades now. They got the PCHers involved a while back. They would sell to high school kids, then give the money to Fitzpatricks. It wasn't pretty.” He paused.

Veronica nodded, egging him to continue. 

“Bout five years ago, Liam decides to get into sex trade. He bought the Seventh Veil and offers dancers huge bonuses if they offer full service to their customers.”

“Ok. So, strippers doing tricks isn't a huge jump, Vinnie.” She was thinking.

“No, but selling them to the Johns is sex slave trade. It's pretty bad, V. High school students are being sent off to who knows where.” Vinnie looked serious as he looked down at her. 

“Whoa. Kidnapping?”

“Definitely. I think they are taking girls of families who owe them money.”

“Shit.” 

Vinnie bursts out laughing and points at Veronica.”Oh! You fell for it! I can't believe it! I thought you were smart, Veronica!” He laughs some more and slaps his knee.

Veronica looked over at him, a brow raised.

“No sex trade. I mean, they probably take it in place of cash, but they aren't shipping girls off.” He was still laughing. “Still just drugs. They don't really think of expansions. As long as they make money, they are happy sitting around, drinking beer. Simple folks, really.” He nodded.

Veronica smiled as she thought of ways to tie Vinnie into a human pretzel. “Oh, good. So, same ole Fitzpatricks?”

“Oh yea.” Vinnie nodded, crossing his arms over his chest.

Veronica turned to walk out and Vinnie pushed off the desk, causing some files on the desk to fall off. “Hey, wait a minute!”

Veronica stopped and looked back at him and brow raised. “What, Vinnie?”

“I was thinking you and me could go see some strippers, maybe get a dance.”

“I couldn't think of anything I wouldn't rather do, Vinnie.” She was smiling. “Except maybe just about anything else.” She turned and waved behind her. “Bye, Mrs Van Lowe.”

Vinnie's mother gave a friendly wave. “Toodles, dear!”

 

Veronica walked into the Balboa Sheriff's Department and smiled at Inga. Inga raised a brow and smiled back.

“Veronica. How nice to see you!” She left off the bit about not being in handcuffs.

“Hi Inga. Is the Sheriff in?” Veronica asked in a pleasant tone. She liked Inga and Inga had always been nice to her. She even felt bad that she disappointed Inga with her last visit here.

“Yes, in his office.” 

“Thanks.” Veronica gave Inga another smile and moved to knock on the open door to the Sheriff's office. She leaned a bit, looking at the man seated behind the desk. “Hey.”

Lamb looked up, a bit shocked to hear her voice here. He leaned back in his chair and looked her over. “Close the door.”

Veronica pouted a bit and grabbed the door, closing it with her outside.

“Mars.” He didn't have to say anything else. 

Veronica smirked and opened the door back up. She walked inside and closed the door behind her. She turned to see he had stood up. She noticed a purple bruise just under his tee shirt's collar.

“What the fuck, Veronica.” It wasn't a question, not in the traditional sense. Lamb was angry and it was starting to boil inside him. He was sure she would ramble up some lie to answer it still. 

“You ok?” She nods towards his chest.

“Bruised. Lucky to be wearing my vest.” He calmed a bit, shocked she even asked about his health.

“Yea.” She stood there, unsure if she should sit or stand. He was still standing behind his desk.

“Inches from hitting you.” He was upset. He gripped his hands into fists to stop them from trembling.

“But didn't. I'm fine.”

He kicked his chair back, expecting her to jump at the noise. But she didn't. He moved closer to her and took a hold of her chin. He tilted her head to the side. He wasn't gentle, but didn't hurt her. He was looking at her cheek. “Fine.” He mocked her word.

“Close calls are still under the 'fine' column. I checked.” She smirked.

Lamb shook his head and huffed. “What were you thinking? Why were you even there?” This time, he was asking. He released her chin.

“I was shocked to see them in that abandoned warehouse, Sheriff.” She didn't bother to put her old innocent tone into the lie.

Lamb took a step closer to her, towering over her. He swallowed as he thought about his options. 

“I want to talk to Liam.” She looked up at him. Her voice calm. 

Lamb's eyes widened and he stepped back, watching her. “Excuse me?”

“I want to talk to Liam.” She repeated. 

“Did I wake up in a bizarro-world this week? Can we focus on one crazy thing at a time?” He turned and leaned against his desk. He crossed his arms over his chest and watched her. “The guns. Where did you learn to shoot like that?”

Veronica's turn to sigh. She walked past him and took a seat in one of the two chairs in front of his desk. “I can't tell you.” She sounded tired.

“You can't tell me? I'm law enforcement, Mars. I'm the one person you can tell.” He didn't like the concern and pleading in his voice.

She looked up at him and offered a weak smile. “You don't have clearance to know.” 

He blinked and it hit him, like a wrecking ball. “Black ops.”

Veronica didn't say anything. She didn't change her facial expression. She didn't give away anything. 

“That's how you were able to wound all the Fitzpatricks. You weren't a lousy shot. You knew what you were doing.”

Veronica smiled. “I always knew what I was doing, Deputy. Nice of you to finally catch on.”

Lamb took a deep breath and let it out. 

“Can I go see Liam now?” 

Lamb blinked down at her. “Uh, no.”

Veronica pouted. “Why not?”

“You went to his place with guns. Twice. I'm not going to let you go see him when he's locked up and vulnerable.” He couldn't believe anyone would be vulnerable with Veronica. But he'd seen her in action.

Veronica stood and walked towards the door. Lamb grabbed her arm and was surprised when she easily twisted out of it. She stopped in front of him and was pointing a gun at his head. She blinked and stepped back, holding the gun out at Lamb. Lamb's heart was pounding.

“Where the fuck were you hiding that?” He looked at her clothing, all tight, little, clingy. He snatched the gun from her hand.

Veronica shrugged. “Your holster.”

Lamb looked down to his holster. It was empty. He shoved the gun back in and glared down at her. “Damn it, Veronica!”

Veronica couldn't help but chuckle.

“Sit down.” He jerked his hand to point to the chair.

She obeyed, even had the sense to look ashamed. He almost believed it, but noticed the slight rise of one corner of her mouth.

Lamb leaned against the desk again, taking deep breaths. “Why are you after the Fitzpatricks? And don't give me some bullshit answer or lie, Veronica.”

“I'm not after them.” She leaned back, crossing her legs.

“I said no lying.” 

“I'm not lying. I'm not after them. I went the first time to get Troy.” 

He thought about it a moment. “The guy who ran out of the River Stix with you?”

“Yes. He was there for classified reasons and called for backup. I went to get him.”

“And the warehouse?” He seemed to be calming down.

“Classified.”

“Veronica.” And his blood pressure spiked again.

Veronica sighed this time. She uncrossed her legs and looked up at him. “I can't tell you, but it wasn't to kill anyone.”

“You went alone?”

She smirked. “I had you, Deputy.” 

Lamb reached down and grabbed the arms of the chair with both hands. He jerked it to face him, blocking her in. “So help me, Veronica. Cut me a fucking break and answer the questions.” He knew he was showing her all his cards. He was just so frustrated and confused.

Veronica didn't move except to lift her feet off the floor. She set them back down when he stopped moving the chair. “I had backup, but he didn't do anything.” 

“Who?”

Veronica didn't say anything. 

“Mars. Obstruction of justice.” He was annoyed and almost fed up with this blonde pixie. 

“Yea, arrest me. It worked so well last time.” She smirked.

Lamb pushed the chair away from him. It scooted to the middle of the room and Veronica just sat there with that smirk on her face.

After a while, she sighed. “Want to come see me talk to Liam?” 

Lamb's eyes widened. “Of course not! I told you that you can't see him.”

Veronica stood and walked over to him, slowly. Lamb couldn't help but notice her hips. “I talk to Liam, you get to hear what I have to say. Maybe you'll get that magical clue you are searching for.” She grinned up at him.

Lamb looked at her, eyes almost level with hers. She had a point. He cracked his knuckles on one hand and nodded. “Fine.”

Veronica practically bounced to the door. Lamb jumped up and stopped her hand from twisting the knob. He held her hand there for a moment. “Lamb?”

Lamb took a deep breath and cursed softly, smelling her hair. Her scent was sweet but mild. He was standing next to her, his hand touching hers. She didn't move. “Veronica.” His voice was sweet and soft. 

“Deputy, you twist the knob.” She turned and looked up at him. Her face was inches from his.

He looked down to her face, eyes watching hers, then her lips. He noticed her lips parting just slightly and a little gasp. He smirked. He leaned in, his own lips parting slightly. He was centimeters from kissing her when the door slammed against his head.

“Oh, sorry. That was an accident.” She looked up at him, having stepped back a bit. The door was open. Her hand dropped back to her side.

Lamb pulled the door open and held it for her, a hand on the door as she walked under his arm. He just gave her ammunition for a lifetime of snarky comments.


	20. Chapter 20

“Ver-ron-nic-ca Mars.” Liam stood up and walked to the bars. He looked her up and down. “Here for my conjugal visit?” 

Lamb coughed as he leaned against the wall, snapping a fresh piece of gum.

“OoOo... with an audience? My, you are a kinky one.” Liam licked his lips.

Veronica walked towards the bars, but stayed well out of reach. “Liam, lets stop fantasizing. Wake up.”

Lamb grinned. He liked to see her turn her wit on someone else.

Liam shrugged and looked to Lamb. “I didn't request a nagging bitch.”

“Free of charge.” Lamb popped his gum.

Veronica clapped and smirked when Liam turned to her again. “Focus, Liam.”

Liam grinned and leaned against the bars. “Whatcha got, Blondie?”

“I just want to ask you a couple things. Then, you can go back to being locked up in peace. Think you got five minutes for me?”

Liam chuckled. “For you? I could give you hours.”

Veronica smiled. “How nice of you.” She knew he was being sexual. She expected it. But, she also knew him being sexual was as friendly as she got from him. “Do you see the Sorokins socially?”

Liam blinked. “Are you asking if we throw shindigs together, then no. Just the wedding.”

Lamb tilted his head, watching quietly.

“The wedding of Molly and Yury?”

“Yea.” Liam looked a little sad.

“Did you get her a gift for the wedding?”

“Yea. Some towels, monogrammed.” He smiled a bit in memory.

“So you supported the marriage?”

Liam tilted his head. “I didn't care for the kid much, but he treated Molly alright. She was happy, I was happy.” 

“So you would say their marriage was good?”

“Far as I can tell. I didn't ask, she didn't tell.”

Lamb smirked a bit. Veronica had a plan, he could tell. He couldn't quite tell where she was going, but she had Liam talking. He was a bit impressed.

“After Molly's death, did Yury ever come by?”

“Naw. We didn't mind though. We went back to focusing on our family.”

“So you and the Sorokins broke ties?”

“Something like that.” He was closing up again.

“So you and the Sorokins worked together before Molly died?” She knew she was pushing, but she just needed a little more information.

“Sure, a few deals.” He stopped and looked to Lamb. “All legal, I assure you.”

Lamb nodded. “Sure.”

“Why did you stop your business with the Sorokins?” Veronica's voice was still calm, but she felt the tensions flare in the room. 

Liam looked from Lamb to Veronica and smirked. “I'm tired. I think we're done, Blondie.” 

Veronica rushed over to Lamb, who watched her with interest. “Get out of here.” Her voice was barely a whisper.

“Nope.” His voice matched her. “Not leaving you alone with a Fitzpatrick.”

“Lamb, I can handle myself.” She was getting angry.

“I see that. I don't trust you with him. I don't think he can handle you.” Lamb, still leaning, still smacking his gum.

“Right. Typical. Don't want to actually work to solve a murder.” She pushed past him. He rolled his back along the wall and watched her go.

 

Veronica was cussing to herself as she entered Mac's house. It was only about four pm and Mac was probably still at the office. She tossed her keys on the counter and turned the corner to go up the stairs. She was met by a large fist in her stomach. She doubled over before a knee came up and slammed into her face. She felt herself being picked up and thrown into the living room, slamming down on the glass coffee table. She grunted and blinked up. Gory Sorokin was sitting in a chair, merely watching.

“Welcome home, Veronica. Got a minute?”

Veronica rose, the shards of glass falling off her back but sticking into her palms. She hurt, but wasn't going to show it. She gestured to another chair. “Mind if I sit?”

Gory smirked and nodded. He offered her his handkerchief. She took it and held it to her bleeding nose. “Veronica” he started and paused. “Why are you poking your head into business that doesn't concern you?”

Veronica turned and looked around. Besides Gory, there were four large men in suits in the room with her. All of her exits were blocked. All her weapons were blocked. She couldn't even get to the kitchen. She sighed softly. “What business is that?”

“You know, the kind where pretty girls like you get their asses kicked for poking cute little noses into.” He stood and walked over to her. “Or worse.”

Veronica didn't back down, didn't move. She didn't even pull away when he grabbed her by the hair and yanked her to her feet. He punched her hard in her stomach a couple times before dropping her. 

“I believe I made myself clear, Veronica.” He turned and walked away from her, adjusting his suit. 

Veronica knelt on the floor, holding her stomach. She had dropped the handkerchief. She looked up, her nose bloody. “Afraid I'll find something out, Gory?” She figured if he was going to use her first name, it was only fair that she use his.

Gory sighed and shook his head. “Oh, Miss Mars. I had hoped you would still fight. Boys, grab her.”

Veronica felt two men suddenly appear next to her and yank her to her feet. She looked around, but her biggest threat was Gory. He controlled these men.

Gory walked to her and grabbed her chin roughly. “I see you want to be a bad girl. I can accommodate. I'll give you all the spankings you can handle.” He nodded to someone and Veronica felt a sharp pinching pain in her neck then everything got blurry then turned to black.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short one, I apologize. The climax is coming though!

Sheriff Lamb sighed as he looked around the living room. Glass was everywhere and Veronica wasn't. He walked towards a chair, noticing a white cloth and called someone over to pick it up. He had noticed the blood on the shards of glass, but this cloth had more blood. There were also drops of blood near it. “I need it analyzed as soon as possible.” He was about to move when he noticed the syringe. “Fuck me.” He called for another bag and pointed to the needle. “Careful with that one. I want to know what was in it and who it was injected into. Now!”

His men were working but Mac was merely standing in her kitchen, shaking. She had called 911 after coming home. She thought it was a burglary, but nothing was taken. Nothing except maybe Veronica. Mac just noticed her keys on the counter. “Sheriff?”

“Miss Mackenzie? What is it?” Lamb walked over to her woman still in her business wear.

“Veronica's keys.” She pointed to them. Her eyes couldn't look away from them.

“Damn. She was probably here.” He turns and radios the station. “Yes, Veronica Mars, 5'1”, 110 lbs, blonde, possible abduction.” 

“Mac?” 

Mac turned from the keys, now making their way into an evidence bag and saw Logan. He was wearing a suit, no tie. He was here for their date.

“Logan.” She didn't know what to tell him. She just shrugged.

Logan turned and looked to Lamb. “Where is she?” His voice was demanding.

Lamb looked at Logan. He had filled out in the last decade, stood taller, still an 09er with too much cash. Lamb remained calm. “Don't know. When did you see her last?” 

Logan blinked. “Of course you would blame me.” 

“Usual subjects. You look fancy. Just get off work?” Lamb smirked.

“Had a date with Veronica. I came to pick her up.” Logan sighed. “I saw her on Tuesday. I talked to her on the phone yesterday.” He looked to Mac. “Did you see her today?”

“No, I was gone before she got up. I don't even know if she left the house today.” Mac sat at her kitchen table and slouched.

“I saw her today. She came by the station.” Lamb spoke, softly. He shook his head, trying to get the horrible ideas out of it. “I just saw her three hours ago.” 

“So, where did she go after there? What did she say there?” Logan was trying to put the puzzle pieces together. 

“I have an idea.” Sheriff Lamb pushed past him and out the front door, slamming it behind him.

“Mac, I just got her back.” Logan sighed and looked to the living room. His hazel eyes widened and he felt his heart stop. “Jesus.”

“Not much blood, Logan.”

“Do you think she pushed someone onto the coffee table? Do you think she is strong enough to do that?” He sounded hopeful.

“No. Yes. I don't have any answers that equal the truth yet.” 

“This is what she does, right? I mean, this is her life now?” Logan flicked a shard of glass on the sofa back towards the broken table.

“She... “ Mac didn't know how to answer. 

“Clarence. We should call him.”

“Or Troy.” Mac offered and went to her phone. She messed with the screen and called a number. It went to voicemail. “Clarence, this is Cindy Mackenzie I need to speak to you concerning Veronica. Please call me back as soon as possible.” She hung up, her voice cracking a bit at the end.

He sighed. “Yea, call Troy.” Logan flopped in the chair across from Mac. 

“Ok.” She flipped through her phone and her face twisted. She looked determined then shook head. “No number for Troy.” 

“Damn it.” 

A deputy came in and pulled Mac into the living room to ask her questions. Logan was left to his own thoughts and nightmares.


	22. Chapter 22

Veronica woke up to her own screams. She felt the electricity rush through her and her eyes popped open. She was hanging from a large hook in a poorly lit room. She couldn't tell what time it was or if it was even light outside. She didn't notice any windows. She noticed a doorway to her right. She was wet, dripping with what she tasted like water. She looked around, noticing a couple guys in suits, a couple more in jeans and tank tops. She was left in her bra and panties. She could see the mark where the battery clamps were used on her stomach. She noticed the rope binding her wrists was most likely silk. It didn't bite into her skin like run of the mill nylon ropes. It was a small victory.

“Veronica. Good morning. Did you sleep alright?” Gory spoke as he came into the room from another doorway to her left. He waved the man with the battery back and looked up at her, taking in her nearly nude frame.

“Peachy keen, jelly bean.” Veronica smiled. Her voice was still catching, but she decided it was strong enough considering the situation. “You?”

“Oh, I slept well, thank you. You were out for a long time. I was afraid someone had given you too much.” He turned towards one of the men in suits and glared, then he turned back to Veronica. “You are tiny compared to our normal adversaries. You understand, I'm sure.” He smiled.

“Right. So, breakfast? I'm in the mood for waffles. Maybe some bacon.” She looked around but no one was rushing off to cook.

“Maybe after some questions. Hmm?” Gory gestures and the battery man comes back. He sparks the clamps together and smirks up at Veronica. “What is your profession, Miss Mars?”

“Professional pain-in-the-ass, Gory. I get paid to piss people off. Think I deserve a bonus today?” 

Gory smirked and placed one of the clamps against her skin. “That's your freebie, Miss Mars. I don't like that attitude and I would appreciate it if you lost it.”

Veronica looked down at the clamp against her skin. It was cold. She smirked. “Got a lost and found box?”

Gory's answer was in the form of electricity. Veronica grunted as he placed the other clamp against her skin. After about five seconds, he dropped the second clamp. “Profession.” He reminded her.

“I'm a homemaker. I bake and clean.” She smirked through clenched teeth.

Another bolt hit her and Gory's eyes were widening. 

“Would you believe astronaut?” 

Gory smirked and set the battery to the side. “Veronica. I have no problem letting my men do the torture. I'll get you to answer me eventually.” He slowly ran a hand up her leg. “I get everything I want.”

Veronica swallowed the bile that rose up her throat. 

“Gorya! What are you doing?! Who is this?”

Gory turned and sighed. “Yury, you shouldn't be here. I'm handling this situation.” 

Yury Sorokin was about the same build as Gorya, but he didn't have the same smugness Gory had. Yury seemed smaller when standing next to his cousin. “Is this her?”

“Veronica Mars, nice to meet you, Yury.” Veronica wiggled a hand a bit as a wave, but it was hard to notice. She was smiling thought.

Gory glared up at Veronica before pulling Yury away. “I have this controlled, Yury. Why don't you go upstairs and-”

“Damn it, Gory. I'm not going to let you murder this woman.”

Veronica eyes widened. She began to pull on the rope, rising up it slowly.

“She's nothing, Yury! I was going to play with her a bit.” He looked up at Veronica and licked his lips.

“Gory, why exactly did you have Molly murdered?” She smirked down at him.

“What? I didn't do that!” Gory turned to Yury. “She's making things up now.”

“You hired PCHers to come and shoot her. You knew she would be at work, you own the establishment. You can change schedules. No one else was shot, Gory!” Veronica was waiting, her body tense.

“Shut up!” Gory turned to Veronica. It made him close enough that she could lift herself off the hook and drop, kicking him in the face on the way down. She immediately turned and ran for cover.

Gory landed hard on his chest, his head bouncing off the floor. He growled and pushed himself up, pulling his gun out and looking for the blonde. “Veronica!”

 

Lamb had been to the River Stix and watched their surveillance tapes. No sign of Veronica on them. He scared Danny Boyd a bit. Danny hadn't seen Veronica since Sunday. He didn't know where she was, but was pretty sure the Fitzpatricks weren't involved. That only left one other option and it wasn't any better than his first. “She's gotta be with the Sorokins.” 

“Jesus, Sheriff. How we gonna get to her?” Jerry Sacks had known Veronica most of her life. He had been scared for her safety a time or two, but never this bad. He knew what the Sorokins do and worse, he knew that they could cover it up. They could kill Veronica and her body would never show up.

“I don't know, Sacks.” Lamb noticed it was nearly two am. “You get home, get some sleep. I'm going to go back to the station.” 

Sacks left and Lamb drove past Mac's house. Logan was still there. Another car was there too, but he didn't know to whom it belonged. 

 

Clarence handed a mug to Mac and sat down next to her. She had changed to more comfortable clothing, but Clarence was in a suit. Logan had removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. He had paced around the whole lower level and when Clarence offered to make coffee, Logan had been refused a cup. Troy had come with Clarence and had cleaned up the mess. He had noted a small bit of blood near the entrance to the living room and suspected Veronica had been jumped. 

“Why aren't you two out there saving her now?” Logan was tired and stressed and holding in so much emotion.

“Because we don't know where she is. Her phone is either broken or dead. Maybe turned off. There's no way she was taken to their mansion. We have to give her a chance to contact us. She isn't the same eighteen year old-”

“I know, Clarence. I know she's not the same. I get it. I'm still fucking worried about her.” Logan stood up and went to punch a wall, but stopped an inch or so from hitting it. He turned and looked at Mac. “Sorry. I'm not going to destroy your home.” He had calmed a bit.

“I have a punching bag in the basement. If you hook it up, you can punch all you want.” She looked to Troy. “It was too heavy for me to lift.”

Troy smiled at Mac and nodded. He grabbed Logan's arm and lead him downstairs. Within minutes, Logan was punching the bag. 

“Think she'll escape this?” Mac's voice was tiny. She was worried.

“I think she has a good chance.” Clarence smiled to the younger woman.

 

Veronica leaned her back against a wall. This lower level of something was like a maze. She looked around and brought her wrist up to her mouth. She started to pull at the rope with her teeth. 

“Veronica? Come back! We're not done with the interview!” Gory was hunting her now. He sounded like he was having fun. He also sounded like he was getting closer. 

Veronica turned and ran down a hallway, ducking into a room and closing the door. Before she could turn around and see what was in the room, a hand reached behind her and clamped over her mouth. Another hand went around her waist, holding her still. 

“Shhh. I don't plan to hurt you if you obey.” It was Yury. 

Veronica nodded and relaxed a bit. He let her go and she turned around. He pulled a knife out and her eyes got big. She started to speak, but he reached down and cut the rope binding her wrists. He smirked at making her nervous though. “You really think Gory had my Molly killed?” He spoke just above a whisper.

Veronica nodded. “I don't know why, but I do know the PCHers don't have a reason of their own and the Fitzpatricks actually cared for her. So, it was either you or him.”

“I loved her so much. I would never-”

“I figured. I have to get out of here. Can you help?”

Yury nodded and peeked out the door. He didn't see people or hear footsteps. He heard no sounds of any kind. He snuck out, reaching back for her. She swatted his hand away, but nodded when he looked back. He went back down the hall and turned. She followed him, keeping an eye on what was behind them. He turned again and stopped suddenly. .Veronica bumped into him. He dropped the knife as he fell to the floor. He was gasping for air and choking on his own blood. Veronica looked up and saw Gory with a wicked grin and a bloody knife. He was blocking a staircase. 

“You know, Veronica. You could have shut up. I probably would have allowed Yury to convince me to release you, after we were through with you. I would have grown tired of you, and if you could manage to keep your mouth shut, I would have let you live.” He stepped towards her, stepping over Yury's body. “I still might just cut out you tongue. Be a shame to put that body in the ground already.” 

Veronica stepped back, sliding along the wall, keeping an eye on him at all times. She heard footsteps coming up behind her. She ducked down then reached up and grabbed the man by the back of the neck. While still facing Gory, she pulled the goon over her shoulder, throwing his weight at Gory. She took that opportunity to turn and run down the empty hall, hearing the two men grunting behind her.


	23. Chapter 23

Don Lamb sat at his desk and looked at the empty chair still in the middle of the room. He had her here, not even twelve hours ago. He knew she would turn up someday, probably floating in the ocean or thrown in a ditch or even a car trunk. Maybe they didn't torture her before she died. Maybe she could even have an open casket.

“Sheriff? Keith Mars to see you.” A deputy stood at his door.

“Send him in.” He waited and took a deep breath. He prepared for the yelling that was about to happen.

“What are you doing, Don? Where is my daughter?!” Keith pushed inside the office and didn't bother to slam the door behind him.

“I'm following all the leads I have, Keith. But you should know something.” Lamb sounded tired and weak.

“You are sitting at your desk playing with your ass, I bet!” Keith sounded upset.

“Keith, sit down.”

“Fuck you, Don!”

Lamb got up and walked over to his office door and slammed it shut. He pointed to a chair, the one not in the middle of the room. “Sit down.”

Keith sighed and sat down, glaring up at his former deputy. 

“There's some stuff you don't know about your daughter.” Lamb took a big breath and let it out slowly.

“What are you talking about, Don?” Keith had calmed, only because now his curiosity was peaked. 

Lamb told the former sheriff about what his daughter had been up to the last week she's been in town.

“Jesus.” was all Keith could say. 

 

Veronica saw another man and ran up on him, her bare feet making a 'pat-pat-pat' sound. It didn't seem to warn him. She ran up his back, pushing him down and straddling his back. She choked him out, then moved down another hallway. She stopped when she saw the hook. She looked around the room, but barely got inside when Gory's laugh startled her. She looked to the the other doorway. He was standing there with the knife. “Damn, Veronica. You are talented. This is a one time offer. For a salary of, hmm, lets say two million dollars a year, I'll hire you to be my bodyguard. No one will suspect you of being able to handle your own, I'll be a lot safer.” 

Veronica turned so her back wasn't to the door she entered. “Two million? Wow. That seems a lot for a bodyguard. Business must be good.”

Gory walked towards her. “Better and better every day. So, yes or no?”

“Hard no, Gory.” She picked up a steel pipe.

“So, a fight? To the death?” Gory was grinning again.

“Seems that way. I don't think you would wait for me to call in backup to overcome you and your men.” She noticed another had come in behind Gory.

“Anytime you wanna stop, we'll stop. But you'll be too busy to make calls.” Gory licked his lips. 

“So, you and me. Not your men? Or you usually have to have them join in?” She gestures as another man came in.

“Alright fellas. Back off. She doesn't leave here unless she kills me or I say so. Happy?”

“Ecstatic.” Veronica swirled the pipe around, waiting for him to come at her.

 

Troy was keeping the bag steady as Logan punched into it. He could see sand popping out of it and called for a break. When he came back with duct tape, Logan was sitting against the wall, head in his hands. 

“Just a minute, I'll wrap this up, then you can punch some more.” Troy was trying to be helpful.

“Is she dead?” Logan's voice was a whisper.

Troy turned and looked at Logan. “I doubt it.” 

Logan raised his head and looked at this man before him. He and Troy had been friends in high school, connected through Duncan. There were strippers in Tijuana, that night that lead to the downfall of Troy and Veronica. Troy hadn't been bad to Veronica, just abandoned her, and the rest of Neptune. 

Troy tried his best to ignore the redness of Logan's eyes. He continued to tape up the bag. 

“What makes you so sure she's alive?” Logan's voice was louder now, but still timid.

“History. She's made it out of things like this before. Also, it's been nearly twelve hours. With the sheriff looking” he paused. “With the deputies looking, they would have found a body by now.” Troy slapped the bag and tossed the tape to the side. “I think it'll hold now.”

“Tell me about some of these times, Troy.” Logan stretched his legs out. He was barefoot. 

“I can't give details, but she's not one to mess with, Logan. She's highly skilled. She gets hurt, sometimes, sure. But, she has always walked out of a situation like this.” Troy hugged the bag as he spoke. “I can tell you this time, she was drugged. So, subtract probably six to eight hours from your dread timeline. She's smaller than normal and they probably over-drugged her.”

Logan's head shot up. “Drugged? Over-drugged? Not helping,Troy.” 

“Crap.” Troy remembered that Logan knew about Veronica's rape. “Not that kind of drugged.” He knew it was a lie. It did the same thing as GHB, whatever they used to get Veronica out of the house to wherever they had her. “She was drugged for transportation, not sexual.” He hoped.

“What is taking so long?” Logan looked up at Troy.

“Logan, I don't think this is good. Let's go back to hitting things.” Troy moved the bag around a bit.

“Troy. what do you think she's doing right now?” 

“Shit. Ok. You sure you want to know?” When Logan nodded, he continued. “She's probably being tortured. They used the drug to keep her calm while they secured her someplace to ask her questions.”

Logan sat for a minute, then jumped up and ran to a tiny bathroom. He threw up. 

Troy tilted his head back and sighed. “Being tortured means still alive.” 

Logan slammed the door closed with his foot.


	24. Chapter 24

Gory smirked and pushed his feet against the cement floor, rushing at Veronica. He still had the bloody knife in his hand and sliced at her. She easily blocked it with the pipe.

“So, why kill Molly, Gory?” Veronica weaved around the swinging blade.

Gory's eyes were dark and there was a wicked grin on his thin lips. “She wanted out.”

“Of the mob?” Veronica got a couple good, quick swings with the pipe on Gory's side before turning out of his reach again.

Gory grunted and paused as he recovered from the hits. “Of course, the mob!”

“So, she and Yury were going to go to the government and get out, throwing you under the bus for kicks?” She went in for another swing.

Gory grabbed the pipe with his left hand and slashed with the knife in his right. He cut her stomach. He chuckled, watching her bleed a bit. “For kicks, for security, didn't matter. I wasn't going to let some Irish bitch take me down.” He jerked the pipe from her hand.

Veronica stumbled back, holding her stomach. She checked it, noticing it wasn't bleeding a lot. She looked up at him. “So, it didn't matter that she was your family?”

Gory ran the blade of the knife down the pipe, grinning as it made a screeching sound. “Family is safe. That's all that matters.” 

“Um, Yury would probably disagree.” Veronica tilted her head back towards Yury's body in the hall. 

Gory swung at her, hitting her face before she raised an arm to block it. She squatted down and drop kicked him. He fell hard on his back, letting out an airy grunt. The pipe slipped out of his hand. It bounced on the concrete floor and the sound echoed in the large room. Veronica pushed in on him, punching at him as he laid on the floor, but he managed to dodge back and forth.

“Yury made his choice. He made the same choice when he tried to protect you from me. But no chick is gonna threaten this family.” He punched at her with the blade.

Veronica screamed out as the blade pushed into her forearm as she blocked it from hitting her chest. She grabbed the handle with her other hand and pulled it back out, wincing in pain.

Gory laughed and punched her hard on the chin.

Veronica took the blade and plunged it into Gory's chest. She stumbled to her feet and looked down at him. Blood pooled around the blade still in his chest. His eyes were wide as he looked up at her. She watched, panting, as his chest stopped moving. 

Veronica turned and glared at one of the men blocking the door. “Where are my clothes?” 

The man, easily three times her size stepped back and pointed towards the stairs. Veronica nodded and walked past him. She stopped and looked down at the body she threw at Gory. She noticed he had a stab wound to his chest. It must have happened on impact. She stepped over Yury and shook her head. She walked up the stairs slowly. She looked around, found her clothes and wrapped her shirt around her arm. She reached into her pant pocket and pulled out her cell phone. She turned it on and dialed. She put the phone to between her ear and her shoulder as she wiggled into her pants. 

 

Troy sighed as he looked at the door. He got up and was about to knock when his phone rang.

“Yea?”

“It's me. Come get me.” 

“Fuck, Roni, sure thing. We've been worried.” Troy's voice breathed relief. He smiled.

“And babysitting, I'm sure.”

Logan opened the door and blinked at Troy. “Is that her?”

“Hold on, Roni. Someone would like to talk to you.” Troy handed the phone to Logan with a wink and ran up the stairs. “C! Track her cell. She called me!”

Logan put the phone to his ear. “Veronica?” He sounded so tired and his voice was cracking.

“Hey. So sorry about not making our date. I hope we can reschedule.” 

He could tell she was smiling. He smiled a bit. “Are you ok? Troy said that you were probably alive because they were... uh... you know.”

“Playing video games? Totally.” She sounded weak. 

Doors slammed upstairs and Logan walked up to investigate. “Seriously, Veronica. Are you ok?”

“I'm fine.” She paused. “I will be fine. I'm not in the best shape, but I'm not in serious pain or anything.”

He could tell she was trying to be honest. But someone had hurt her. He felt his insides burn. “Are they..?”

“Napping? Sure. Don't worry, It's taken care of.” 

He heard her grunt and then heard the sliding of skin on something smooth.

“Veronica?” He was anxious, nervous he would lose her again.

“I'm here. I just needed to sit. Is Troy there?” She sounded out of breath.

Logan looked around on the main level and found Mac in the kitchen. “Veronica is ok, where's Troy?”

Mac nodded and pointed to the door. “Clarence took my laptop and left with Troy.” 

“Veronica? Still with me?” He held his breath.

“Of course. Tell Mac I said hi. Sorry about her coffee table.” 

“Veronica, she doesn't care about a coffee table. Clarence and Troy took Mac's laptop and left.”

“Tracking phones. Ok. Shouldn't be long.” She stopped talking.

“Stick with me, Bobcat.” Logan sat in a chair at the table and put the phone on speaker. 

“Veronica?” Mac spoke into the phone.

“Hey Mac. Sorry about the mess.” 

Mac sighed and looked to Logan, eyes big and worried. Veronica didn't sound good. “It's ok, V. All cleaned up. When you are feeling better, we'll go get a nice foam one to replace it.”

Veronica laughed and coughed a bit. “Sounds good, Mackie.”

“Are you safe?” Logan asked. 

“I think so. There's still a couple goons, but they didn't stop me. I don't think they care to mess with me.” He heard a smile which made him smile again.

“Right. Bobcat in and out of the sheets. I remember.” Mac made a gross face at Logan and he couldn't help but laugh. “Mac would like us to not bring up sheets again.”

“Well, I learned a lot about bobcatting outside of the bedroom too.”

Logan's interest seemed changed.

“Oh, my god! Even when you're dying, you make me blush!” Mac laughed then suddenly stopped. She looked up at Logan.

“Oh Mackie. I'm not dying.” She sounded weak.

“You better not! I'm not dealing with Wallace and Logan and Eli and Troy all on my own!” She grabbed Logan's hand and held it. 

“No need for that. I'm sure Vincent is man enough for you.” She giggled.

Logan grinned and shook his head. 

Mac huffed and thought a second “Man enough. I don't need four men to handle this.” She gestured to herself.

Logan laughed at the gesture then stopped. “Wait a minute! I don't think she's using all of us for” he gestured to Mack, mimicking what she did “that.”

Veronica laughed and then winced and let out a whimper. Logan and Mac stopped laughing too.

“Veronica?” 

“Logan?”

“Don't die.”

“I don't plan on dying like ever. It's literally the last thing I have planned.”

He knew she was joking. It calmed him.

“I hear sirens.”

“Does Clarence have access to a cruiser?” Mac asked.

“He probably called the cops, thinking they could get to me first.” 

Suddenly a door was kicked open. “Veronica?!”

“Got to go. Daddy's here.” She hung up the phone.

 

Keith Mars busted into the house and looked down at the dirty, bloody, blonde human sitting against the wall across from the door. He rushed to her. She winced when he hugged her and when he started to check her wounds. “We need medical!!” 

Sheriff Lamb followed him in, cussing. He stopped when he saw her. She looked like hell. She was dirty and her top was off. He wanted to do what his father was doing, check her over. He noticed the bloody shirt wrapped around an arm she was nursing. He looked back outside, noticing the ambulance pulling up. “Be just a minute, Keith.” He walked towards her and knelt down. “Hey. We alone in here now?”

Veronica looked over to Lamb and smirked. “No flirting in front of my dad, Deputy.” 

Lamb rolled his eyes and stood up, glaring down at her. 

“Three guys downstairs, one knocked out. Watch out, it's like a maze down there. I don't know if there's another exit. At least three dead bodies. Two you can't miss at the bottom of the stairs. Another in a large room down the hall to the right.”

Lamb nodded and turned to send his deputies downstairs. Leo passed Veronica and tilted his head at her. She replied with a smile and thumbs up with her unhurt hand.

Veronica was loaded onto the stretcher about the time Troy and Clarence pulled up. Keith noticed the strange pairing. Troy ran up to Veronica and Clarence went to Lamb.

 

“Roni, you ok?” Troy turned and smiled at Keith. “Mr. Mars. Nice to see you again.”

“Troy.” It was a question. 

“Fine, Troy. You?” Veronica was still weak, but offered a smile.

“Pretty good. I left the kids behind. We'll handle this and see you later.” He tapped Veronica on the thigh gently and shook Keith's hand. “Sir.” He nodded and ran off to Clarence's side.

“Veronica, you have some explaining to do.” Keith held his daughter's hand.

“I know. You won't like it. I know you won't.” 

“You are ok. I'm gonna ride that for a while before you sink my sails, honey.” 

“Sounds like a good idea, Pops.”

 

“Sheriff Lamb? Got a minute?” Clarence walked into the house and noticed a very large man in handcuffs being brought up from the basement. He had to smile.

“Who are you? Why are you in my crime scene?” Lamb stood, eyeing the man before him.

“Clarence Wiedman. I used to work for the Kanes in their security. We've met.” He held out a hand to the sheriff, which the sheriff didn't take.

“And why blah blah crime scene?” Lamb looked up to the taller man. He put his thumbs in his belt, waiting for the answer.

Clarence opened a small leather binder. Inside it was a badge and ID. He handed it to Lamb. “My crime scene.” 

Troy jogged up and stood behind Clarence, offered Lamb a friendly smile.

Lamb took the ID and looked it over. He scratched at it and cussed to himself. It was real. He handed it back to Clarence. “What can I do for you, Agent Wiedman?”

“Just run every last thing by us. Have you met Agent Vandergraff?” 

Troy offered another smile and a little wave. Lamb wanted to shoot him.

“Agents.” Lamb put a piece of gum in his mouth and chomped on it. “Mars with you?”

“Classified, Sheriff.”

“Of fucking course it is.” Lamb turned and gestured to the stairs leading down. “Bad guys down there, agents.” 

Troy nodded and took off down there. “Damn, Roni do all this?”

“Troy! Inside voice!” Clarence smiled at Lamb. They could hear Troy laughing under them.

Lamb sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He walked outside mumbling to himself.


	25. Chapter 25

Veronica had been looked over and cleaned up at the hospital by the time Lamb got there. He walked in while Veronica's stomach was being sewn up. Her arm already wrapped in bandages. Keith wasn't in the room. 

“Jesus, Veronica.” He walked over and looked down at her. The nurse handling the stitches looked up, but didn't say anything. He was still in uniform.

“Sheriff, if you can't handle a little blood, you are in the wrong profession.” She sounded calm, but tired. She was hooked up to some IV and monitors. He hated seeing her this way.

“You ok?” He tried to keep his tone typical asshole. He was failing.

“I'm fine.” She smirked up at him. “Stitches excluded.”

He noticed she wasn't even wincing at the needle popping in and out of the skin on her stomach. “'Fine'. I think you're not 'fine' anymore. This was a bit more than a close call, Mars.”

The nurse finished up and looked up to Veronica. “I”ll be back in a minute. There's no wide tape in this kit.” She stood and left them alone in the room.

“Ok, Deputy. Let's hear it.”

“Hear what?” He took a closer look at her stomach, his lips moving silently.

“Are you counting?” She smirked and chuckled.

“Trying.” He grinned and looked up at her. 

“Fourteen.” She nodded to him. “I counted as she did them.” 

“What happened after graduation, Mars?” He had lost his smile.

“I left.” 

“I got that much. Why?”

“Shit happened.”

“Classified shit?” He looked up at her face.

“Yea.” She looked up at his. “I decided to have a different life than the one I had planned.”

 

Keith Mars stood at the door to his daughter's exam room, but didn't enter. He could hear the two people inside talking. He knew she had her secrets. He couldn't resist listening in. He put his hand up and stopped the nurse from going in. The nurse sighed and turned around to tend to someone else before coming back a few minutes later.

 

“A life with guns and grenades and fourteen stitches being common enough for you not to flinch at the needle?” His voice was getting louder in anger.

“A life where I do what it takes to help people.” She remained calm.

“Who helps you, Veronica?” 

“I can handle my own, Sheriff. That's what I was trained to do. I couldn't rely on local sheriffs to cover me.” She watched his face.

He lowered his eyes and let out a breath. “I see the scars.”

“There's more.” 

“I figured.” He was getting quieter again.

“I don't flinch because I am used to getting stitches. They don't hurt as bad as being cut or shot.”

Lamb raised his head. “Shot?” His voice was a whisper. His eyes wide and moist.

“Twice.” She paused. “Well, technically three times, but two separate occasions.”

“Jesus, Veronica.” He pushed away from the cot and looked at the wall. There was nothing interesting about the wall.

“Don.” Her voice sweet.

Lamb turned quickly and looked down at her. 

“This is my job.”

“Getting shot?” He seemed to be choking back tears but she didn't see any falling down his cheeks.

“No, like getting shot isn't your job. But it still happens.” She reaches up and pokes his chest. 

He winces and looks down at her. “But, you are Veronica Mars, not a sheriff.”

“I'm an agent, Lamb. I'm shot at way more often than you.” She was smirking again. “Look, I get it. Big surprise. Not expecting it. But, I'm ok with it. I'm also so ok with the fact I outrank you a million times over.” 

“Veronica.” He was pleading with her now.

“Lamb.” She was tired.

“Call me Don again.” He smirked down at her.

“Oh God. Are you going to try to kiss me again?” She laughed and looked to the door. “Dad, come in, and let the nurse back in. She has other patients to attend to.” She turned back to Lamb, who was cursing and stepping away from her.

The nurse came in and attached the bandage to Veronica's stomach. She left shortly after, assuring Veronica that her discharge papers would be ready soon.

“Veronica.” 

“Dad.” She looked up at her father, knowing he heard everything Lamb and she had discussed. She prepared herself for the lecture.

“Do you have a badge?”

Veronica blinked and looked to Lamb then back to Keith. “Uh, yea. I don't have it on me though. I'm usually undercover.”

“And you work with Troy and Mr. Wiedman?” He was surprisingly calm. Veronica was waiting for him to pop.

“Yes.”

“And you trained a long time to do whatever you do?”

“Yes. I'm good at what I do, Dad.” 

Keith looked at his daughter and pointed to her injuries. “This is what you would categorize as good?”

Lamb stepped up and nodded, pointing to Keith. “Man has a point.”

Keith looked to Lamb and shook his head. He looked back his daughter.

“Did you see the other guys?” She didn't even have her mocking tone on it. When neither answered, she continued. “I killed one on purpose. We were fighting and he stabbed my arm with a knife aimed for my heart. I pulled the knife out and stabbed him instead.”

Lamb gasped softly. He hadn't been expecting details.

“I ran up behind a guy, knocking him to the floor and knocking him out with a basic choke hold.”

“The large guy they brought up first.” Lamb spoke softly.

“Most likely.” She looked from Lamb to her father. “I didn't kill the other guys. One was a goon who I threw at Gory. He came around the corner and I shifted my weight to throw him at Gory. Apparently, Gory's knife stabbed him in the chest. I didn't know until I was walking over his body on the way upstairs.”

“And the other?” Lamb asked softly.

“Yury Sorokin. He was helping me. He was leading me to the stairs. Gory surprised him, slashing his neck before chasing me. That's when I threw the other guy towards him and ran.”

“Why didn't the other men go after you?” Keith asked.

“Gory made it a fight to the death between him and I. I got him to tell his men to back off, that I was only to walk out if I killed him. Once I did, I walked right past them.” 

Keith was quiet, deep in thought.

“Did they do anything to you before the knife fights?” Lamb asked. 

“I was assaulted at Mac's, but I'm sure you gathered that. We didn't tidy up before I was drugged and took to that house. I woke up to a battery jolt. I had a couple of those before I managed to get free and that's when I ran into Yury.”

Keith could feel his stomach turning. He was sure it was more with the common voice tone of his daughter as she discussed what happened to her. “Did they touch you, honey?”

Veronica turned and looked to her father. “If you are implying rape, then no. I woke up in my bra and panties, but I don't think they peeked further.” She turned and looked at Lamb who was looking down. 

Lamb's thoughts went to the sixteen year old Veronica who had come to him for help. She was crying and although physically fine, her mental state had been shattered. She would never be the same and he only rubbed her face in it. Now, she seemed colder than before she left. He nodded. 

“I think my daughter deserves some rest, Sheriff.” Keith gestures towards the door. 

Lamb nods again, then looks to Veronica. “I'll see you later. Feel better.” He leaves the room.

Keith walks over to his daughter and tucks some of her hair behind her ear for her. “I'm not going to pretend I am ok with this, with what you do, with you getting hurt.” 

“I know, Dad. I'm sorry I kept it from you. It's just, I didn't want you to be ashamed of me, of how this started.”

“Tell me, honey.”

Veronica took a deep breath and told her dad everything. She told him about Cassidy, and the rape, and the roof of the Neptune Grand. She told him about the training and some of the missions. She went easy on the wounds, but didn't back away if he asked. She didn't give details like names or locations, but she was honest with him. 

Keith listened, trying to keep in the emotions. He knew if he let them out, his daughter would close back up again. He listened to her talk about her new life, the one she's been hiding from him. At the end, he pulled her to him gently and embraced her.

“Mr. Mars? You can take your daughter home now.” The nurse smiled as she peeked inside the room.

Veronica stood and realized she was still in just her bra. She was about to ask the nurse for a gown to wear but Logan held a black dress shirt in the room. The nurse smirked, noticing him covering his eyes. “Need a shirt, Mars?”

Keith walked over and grabbed the shirt from Logan. Logan peeked and blinked at seeing Keith standing there. “Mr. Mars. Nice to see you.” 

“Logan.” Keith watched him while handing the dress shirt back to Veronica who only smirked at the two of them. 

“I was hoping to be able to take Veronica home. I know you must be exhausted, we all are.” Logan looked at Veronica and his heart broke again, seeing her in bandages and bruised. He took a moment to remember she was going to be fine. She handled herself. He let out a slow breath.

Keith eyed the man before him before turning to look at Veronica. “Going to Mac's?”

“Uh. I don't know. I mean, I figured. I know you don't have room for me at your place.” She didn't seem upset over that.

“I can kick Darrell to the couch for my only daughter.” Keith smirked.

“I think I can take her, Mr. Mars. I have an extra room. I can watch her.” Logan smiled sweetly.

“I don't think that's a good idea, Logan.” Keith was using his protective voice.

“Dad?” 

Keith turned to look back at her.

“Dad, I'm probably not going to have sex without some quality sleep and a lot of pain pills. I'm almost thirty. Please, accept I'm an adult.” She sounded tired.

“Honey...” Keith started, but he had nothing to argue. He nodded. He turned and glared at Logan. “You keep an eye on her at all times, Logan. I don't want to hear about her getting taken again.” He was a bit emotional, but was showing restraint.

Logan nodded. “Of course. I'll move a chair into the room and keep watch.” 

Keith smiled at that. “Thanks for telling me about the chair. I know it's not true, but I can rest with that image.” He turned to his daughter, now standing and wearing a huge dress shirt. She was rolling up the sleeves, but having trouble. He helped, taking gentle care of the arm that is injured. “I will see you often from now on. And I will get lots of phone calls.”

“Of course, Pops.” She stood before him, “I'll come by next week, we'll do dinner again.” 

Keith pulled her head towards him and kissed her before gently hugging her. “I cannot wait.”


	26. Chapter 26

Logan secured her in the car the best he could. She couldn't deal with the seat belt with her wounds. He got around and inside behind the wheel. “So, back to my place?”

“About time.” She smirked and leaned her head on the headrest, watching him.

He drove carefully, slowing down so the car didn't jerk. After a few minutes, he pulled into a small house up in the hills of Neptune. He was miles from the ocean, but Veronica could see it. He had an amazing view. Inside, she noticed a modern design to the house itself and to the decor. It was simple and elegant. As he helped her through the house, she noticed photographs on the walls, all with glossy black frames. The photographs were a variety of things. She saw children playing, the waves crashing, even someone who looked a lot like Dick mountain biking. Veronica stopped walking and turned to look at Logan.

“You took these.” She didn't bother to ask it. Logan nodded. “You never seemed interested in photography before I...” She trailed off.

“I picked it up about a year after you... “ He trailed off too, smirking. “I started to feel closer to you, since you were so good at it. I decided I really liked it. I started taking pictures all the time, trying to figure out how to do things and when. I took classes in college. I guess you didn't look up my class schedule.”

“I guess I didn't.” She turned and walked past him, back towards the door. She stopped and looked at them more closely. “This was at Wallace's wedding.”

He walked up behind her. “Yes. I looked at it after I came back from Mac's a couple nights ago. I didn't see you in it. No Waldo.”

Veronica turned and smirked at him. She turned back and pointed. “That's me.”

Logan bent over and looked to where she was pointing. He shook his head. “No way. That woman is 300 lbs.” 

Veronica laughed and shook her head. “Not her. She's my dad's cousin. No, the woman to her left.”

“The brunette.” Logan sank a bit. “I never thought you would wear a wig.” 

“I wear them all the time. I had to remove it for the pictures though. I'm surprised you never saw me in those.” She turned and looked up at him. “I'm sorry I ducked away from you for so long.” 

Logan reached up and caressed her cheek. “I get it. I don't blame you. Even when I found out, I was an ass. I'm sorry.” 

Veronica leaned into him, hugging him. He wrapped his arms around her, but didn't hug her very tightly. She leaned back against the wall. “So, what now?”

“Well, since sex shouldn't happen for another few days, I checked with your doctor.” He smirked. “I guess we will have to work on our communication skills.”

“We ever have those?” She smirked back up at him and played with his shirt a bit.

“It's a good thing we have days to work on it.”

Veronica was silent and then looked up to him, her face serious. “Logan, this is what I do. I'm not going to be able to turn it off and go do something normal.” 

He cupped her face in his hands and leaned down to kiss her on the nose. “I know you don't change, Veronica. I'm not asking you to.” 

“I'm going to get hurt again. I'm going to try my best to always come back to you, but it won't be easy for you when I'm on missions. I just don't want this to be taken lightly.”

“Veronica Mars, you are amazing and talented and I trust you will come back every single time. I don't like it, but I can live with it if it means I can live with you in my life again. I was so wrong ten years ago. I was an idiot for not being with you or supporting you.” He looked down at her, tears in his eyes. “I know how epic we are, we've been. I've thought of you every single day since you left the hotel and I didn't chase after you. I should have.”

She looked up at him and wiped away a tear rolling down his cheek. “Spanning years and continents.”

“Lives ruined.”

“Blood shed.” Veronica had tears rolling down her face and Logan bent in and kisses them.

“Epic.” He repeated the last word again, driving the point back to what changed them. “I love you, Veronica. I've always loved you.”

“I love you too, Logan.” She reaches up and pulls him down, pushing her lips against him before letting her lips open. She kissed him passionately, holding him close to her. He picked her up, she wrapping her legs around his waist as he took her upstairs. Sleep and pain pills would have to wait.


	27. Chapter 27

Veronica and Logan each took a deep breath and walked into the Neptune Grand ballroom. Logan reached down and took her hand in his, smiling. “Piece of cake, Mars.” 

“I tend to remember you being more popular in high school than me.” She looked up and winked at him. 

“Logan Echolls!” A squeal followed by a flash of blonde. Logan was pulled away from Veronica and hugged. He took a couple steps backwards and kept his hands from touching the attacker. 

“Uh. Hey Madison.” He looked over to Veronica who had to smirk at the awkwardness of the one-sided hug. 

“Well, let me take a look at you!” Madison Sinclair pulled back and looked at him. She smirked and put a hand on his chest, practically purring up at him. “You certainly aged well.”

“Uh. Thanks.” He paused and then sighed when she didn't move or say anything else. “You too!” He offered a smile and tried to move back to Veronica.

“Oh, thanks. I've been trying to keep in shape and stuff. I do yoga. I'm very flexible.” 

Veronica coughed as she suppressed a laugh.

Madison turned and looked over her shoulder at Veronica. “Who's that?”

Veronica rolled her eyes and grabbed Logan's hand. “His date.”

“Oh my goodness! Veronica Mars!” Madison looked her up and down as Logan moved to stand next to Veronica. “Well, you haven't changed too much. Still got Logan whipped I see.” She sneered at Veronica.

Veronica smirked. “You say that like it's a bad thing.” She fake-pouted and Logan chuckled.

“Whatever.” Madison turned and waved big at someone else. “Oh my God! You look amazing!” She trotted off to harass that person.

“Piece of cake.” Veronica exhaled slowly.

Logan smirked and escorted Veronica inside. He grabbed a champagne flute for himself and Veronica took and downed it before he could even protest. “You're medicated, Mars.”

“I'm here. I'm standing. I'm dealing.” She handed him the empty glass and grinned up at him. 

They entered the ballroom and were blown back by the amount of former students. Veronica recognized about half of them, assuming the other half were spouses.

“Veronica!”

She had to smile wide as the stoner of Neptune approached. He reached in for a hug and squeezed Veronica, making her wince. Logan pouted a bit.

“Corny! How you doing?” Veronica asked as she pulled away from him. 

“Better than you! What happened to your arm?” He pointed to her heavily wrapped limb.

“Cut myself. What are you doing these days?”

“Oh, you know, whatever I can. I'm into construction sometimes. If business is slow, I make these ceramic sculptures and sell them on ebay.” He grinned wide. 

“Awesome! We're gonna walk around, but it's been great seeing you, Corny!”

“You too! Bye Logan!”

Logan watched him walk away and raised a brow. “Junior year, I was accused of having a ceramic bong in my locker.”

“Yup.” Veronica looked up at him, smirking, “You deserved that, but don't be mad at Corny. He was just showing his creative side. And look! He's making more bongs for ebay! You helped form a business, Echolls!” She had on her pep squad smile.

Logan sighed and pulled her to him gently, kissing her head. “You are so lucky I love you.”

Veronica smiled. “I know.

“Yo, V!” Veronica turned and grinned at Eli who took one look at her and growled. “Fitzpatricks again?”

Logan noticed the change in demeanor and looked down to Veronica. “Fitzpatricks? I thought that Sorokin guy did that to you.”

Veronica tilted her head back and sighed. She looked to Logan. “Yes.” She turned to Eli. “Weevil! How great to see you! You look in shape.”

“V.” He didn't seem interested in pleasantries.

“I'm fine. Really. Little scratch here, little scratch there.”

“More gunfire?” Eli moved in close.

“Oh, fuck me sideways.” Veronica could feel Logan pushing in, his brow raising as Eli talked.

“V, as much fun as that would be, looks like your towering guard wouldn't like that.”

Veronica had to smirk at Eli. “I told you, totally the same. I need more bubbly.” She slipped out from between them and headed to the bar.

“What do you know about the Fitzpatricks, Weevil?” Logan asked as calmly as he could.

“V shot a bunch of them earlier this week.”

Logan gasped and looked down at him.

“Didn't kill a single one though. Just got them all so Lamb and his deputies could arrest them.”

“You see it?”

“Kinda. I saw her in action, but didn't see her shoot anyone. Dude, she's freaking amazing.”

“Yea, I've known that for years.”

“No, man, in scary situations. She's who I would want watching my back.” Eli paused. “So, Sorokin did that to her?”

“That and some other stuff. She'll be ok.” Logan was quiet as he watched Veronica chatting with Carmen Ruiz and Cora Briggs at the bar. She seemed happy to see them.

“That asshole touch her?” Eli could feel the room get hotter.

“No, I don't think. Not like that.” Logan debated how much to tell. “She took care of it though.”

“She did?” He calmed. “Oh, ok then.”

“She doesn't need protectors anymore, Weevil.”

“I guess not.”

 

Veronica laughed as Cora and Carmen got swept away from her by their really attractive husbands. Veronica took another champagne and sipped it slowly this time, looking around. She wasn't surprised when Casey Gant slid up next to her and tapped her wounded arm. 

“Paper cut?”

“Big one.” 

“Can I kiss it? Make it better?” He smirked and eyed her in the simple dress she wore. 

“Eh, maybe next time.” 

“You owe me a dance, Veronica.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her to the dance floor.

Veronica sighed and allowed it. She did promise him a dance and she may as well get it over with. The two adjusted themselves so she had wrapped her arms around his neck and he was massaging her hips and lower back gently.

“You look beautiful.”

Veronica smiled. “Thanks. You look very dapper.”

“Thank you.” He took that moment to lean in and press his cheek against hers. “Wanna go get a room?”

Veronica had to stop herself from throat punching him.

“I believe this is where I cut in.”

Veronica stopped dancing and looked up to see Norris Clayton standing next to her. She smiled and her arms dropped from Casey's neck. She stepped back from Casey and Norris took her in his arms, dancing more waltz style than teenager. Casey sunk back into the crowd.

“Sorry, you looked like you were about to knee him in the balls.” Norris chuckled and smiled bashfully.

Veronica smiled. “Throat punch, actually. But perceptive of you.”

Norris' grin widened. “I've been working on that, being perceptive.” 

They danced a bit, then he leaned in closer. “Like you are being very careful of your stomach and you have bruises under your makeup.”

Veronica's breath held for a second and let it out slowly. “Well, that's certainly perceptive of you.”

“Agent Vandergraff asked I look out for you.”

Veronica's head turned and looked up at Norris, a quizzical look on her face. She looked down and noticed how he leaned slightly to his right. “You are packing at the reunion?”

“Damn, I thought I had that hidden. Troy was right. When you have reason to pay attention, you don't miss much.” He smiled down at her.

“How are people missing that with all the hugs that happen?” Veronica resumed dancing.

“I'm not a big hugger.” He smirked.

“How long have you been in?”

“Six years. I found out about you and Troy a couple years ago, but it's been difficult to approach you about it. Troy called and asked me to come help him watch you tonight.”

“Of course, Troy is here.” Veronica laughed and looked around. 

Norris nodded his head to his right, back towards Logan. “Looks like Troy is going to take the pressure off your boyfriend.” 

Veronica turned and looked over at Logan, who was being molested by the wandering hands of Caitlin Ford. Troy came up behind her and scared her, making her squeal and turn, hitting Troy with her purse. The two talked and Logan backed away slowly. He ran into Dick, literally and the two of them began a conversation.

“He's the best.”

“Dick, right?” Norris smirked and shook his head when Veronica turned to look at him with disgust.

“The other two. Both of them. The best.” 

“You know, logically, only one can be-” Veronica punched him playfully in the stomach and he laughed. “You know, I think I might take the blame for this kick-ass version of Veronica Mars.”

She raised a brow. 

“I got you into throwing stars, remember?” He did, and it showed on is face. He was smiling big and wide.

“Yea, you did, I guess.” She laughed softly. “I suppose I should thank you.”

“I would suggest dinner, but I think your dinners dates are taken until infinity.” His smile faded a bit.

“Well, you've gotten a couple dances out of me. That's a lot, to be honest.”

“Does this mean you'll wear my varsity jacket?” He laughed, unable to keep a straight face.

“Only if you carry my books.” Veronica laughed too.

 

“Sup, Dick?” Logan turned and saw who he bumped into. Dick was dressed in a gray suit. His hair was brushed and he looked good. 

“Not much, Logan. Just thought I would see where the easiest prey was hiding.” He looked around the ballroom.

“Ahh, right. Any prospects?” Logan turned and looked around.

“Angie Dohl looks super hot tonight and I don't see a ring on that finger.”

“She might not fall for your tricks. She went to Stanford and Yale.”

“If she's so smart, why did she go to college twice?” He huffed at the idea and shook his head. “No, she can't resist this charm. I got this. Watch and learn.” He sauntered off towards Angie.

“Dude has no off button, does he?”

Logan turned and saw Troy standing next to him. He shook his head. “Nope.”

“Roni ok?” Troy was watching her dance with Norris.

“Guess so. She seems closer to Norris than I remember her being.” He sounded a bit worried.

“He's one of us. She probably just figured it out.” 

“One of.. oh, you guys. Right.” He got quiet.

“Holy crap! Troy?!” Luke Halderman ran up and hugged Troy then turned and shook Logan's hand. “Sup, Logan!”

“Luke. How's it going?” Troy laughed and pulled back from the hug.

“Oh, pretty good. You know.” He reached back and slammed his fist into Troy's jaw. Logan stepped in and pushed Luke back. Luke rubbed his knuckles, but didn't come in for another hit.

Veronica and Norris stopped dancing and walked over to the group. Veronica went to Troy and checked on him while Norris stood behind .

“You ok?” Veronica was asking Troy as she helped him, one handed, to get to his feet.

Troy nodded and looked over Logan to Luke. “What the hell, man?”

Luke pushed up against Logan, who watched Luke carefully. “You stole my drugs, man.” 

Veronica laughed loudly and the four men turned to look at her. She shrugged.

Troy looked to Veronica and started laughing too. Logan turned and looked at the two of them. Troy and Veronica were each trying to stop laughing, but would look at the other and start back up.

“Cause I took them from you!”

“I thought I was so slick!”

“Always a step behind, Vandergraff!”

Luke blinked and looked down at them. This is not what he expected to happen.

Logan knelt down to the shaking Veronica and pouted. “You should calm down. You'll pop a stitch.”

She grabbed Troy's arm and giggled “Bust a gut!” That got them both laughing harder.

Norris smirked and shook his head. Logan noticed it and sighed, sitting on the floor. “I don't understand you guys one bit.” 

Troy calmed a bit. “I stole the steroids from Luke when we went to Tijuana. I had the car stolen on purpose and hid the drugs in the bathroom at the diner. I went back later to get them.”

“But all he got was cheap candy. I figured out what he did, how he played all of us and switched out the steroids with the candy.” Veronica continued the story. She looked up to Luke. “You had paid back that muscle freak and I had kept him from seeking you out further.” She was laughing and turned to Troy who made toilet flushing noises.

“See, Wallace. This is what happens when we have to stop to look at the old yearbook pictures posted at the entrance! We miss the good jokes!” Mac grinned down at Troy, Veronica and Logan on the floor, then raised a brow to Luke and Norris. “Hello.”

Wallace went behind Veronica and helped her to her feet while the other two rose as well. “Sorry. I looked so good back then.”

“You still look good, Wallace! So full of the pimp juice!” Veronica giggled and they hugged.

“Pimp... Juice?” Logan raised a brow and looked to Troy.

Troy merely shook his head. 

“She's medicated and drunk.” 

Everyone looked to Norris who shrugged. “She's eight-five pounds. It can't take much.”

Veronica growled and Troy held her back. “Whoa! He didn't mean it! He doesn't know!” 

Logan raised a brow and smirked. “Always the bobcat.”

Troy laughed at Logan then looked at Norris. “She'll kick you ass under the table drinking, Norris. This is merely the combination of the meds. This tiny nugget of spitfire can hold her liquor!” 

Veronica calmed and nodded.

Troy released her and looked at Luke. “Feel better?”

“What?” He paused. “Oh, I guess.” 

 

The former students mingled and drank. Veronica had to be held back by Logan when Georgia came up and started to flirt with Wallace. She got the message and backed away slowly. Sean Friedrich and Dick had a drinking contest which left Sean puking in Gia Goodman's tiny purse. Drunk Dick tried to work his way into Susan Knight and Carrie Bishop's beds, at the same time. Neither seemed interested. Mac greeted Madison who was actually pleasant with Mac in return. Wanda Varner came up to Veronica and offered a small greeting. Veronica couldn't place her though and Wanda left. Eli and Hector had a small meeting, keeping their voices hushed. Veronica picked up on some PCHer business and decided to let Eli handle it. Veronica also surprised the whole group by running up to Jessie Doyle and giving her a big hug. Jessie returned it, enjoying it.

 

Epilogue 

Veronica had healed quite a bit in the few days since the reunion. Her face was no longer bruised at all and her burns were small scars on her stomach. She still had stitches, but they itched more than hurt. She was out and about, running some errands to help her dad's private eye business get sorted. She was walking out of the post office when Liam Fitzpatrick was walking in. Their eyes met and he nodded to her. “A moment, Mars?” He waved her over to the side.

Veronica was suspicious, of course, but moved to an empty hallway with PO boxes lining a wall. “What is it, Liam?”

“Look, I heard some things happened and you took care of the asshole who hurt Molly.” His voice was soft. It was as if he was being friendly.

“I took care of the guy who ordered the hit, if that's what you mean.” Veronica didn't trust him one bit.

“Yea. That Gory bastard.” He paused and looked down a minute. “I just.. I just wanted to say we're square now.” 

Veronica raised a brow. “Square?”

“Yea, you know, even.”

“Did you kill someone who killed a loved one of mine?” Veronica was a bit confused, but she couldn't just walk away.

“Veronica.” He resumed his normal tone, emphasizing each syllable in her name. It was a warning.

“Liam.” She returned, but it didn't have the same flare his tone did. “What do you mean 'square'?”

“I'm not going to kill you when I see you.” He was blunt and grinned wide when he said it.

“Oh. Ok. Well, I can live with that.” Veronica smiled back. It was genuine.

“Kinda the point. Tell your dad we're square too. You did us a solid.”

Veronica didn't have the heart to tell him she only did it to save her own life. “Well, then, um, take care, Liam. Stay out of trouble.”

“Come by the Stix. We'll have a drink to Molly.”

Veronica nodded, but didn't say anything. 

“Veronica?”

She turned and saw Lamb standing there with boxes in his arms. She walked over to him and held the door open for him. “Deputy.” She smirked when she said his fake title.

“Playing with fire again, I see.” He walked out the door and towards his cruiser. 

“Hardly. You were witnessing a legendary moment where Fitzpatrick and Mars buried hatchets. It was moving, really.”

“I'm sure. What was really happening? He threaten you?” He cursed himself for the worried tone he used.

“Honestly, that's what happened.” She was grinning and opened the front door of his cruiser then popped the trunk for him. 

Lamb walked around to the trunk and set the boxes in. 

“Porn?” 

Lamb grimaced. “We were actually being polite and friendly, Mars.”

Veronica backed up to her car and shrugged. “Can't have that. It'll throw the universe off kilter.”

Lamb smirked and slammed his trunk closed. He watched her drive away, shaking his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it! Please, let me know what you guys think! Thanks for all the Kudos too! I am giddy when I get a new one!
> 
> I am working on the sequel right now. I'm pretty excited about it, but it needs some tweaking.


End file.
